Seán Binder belongs to a group of enthusiastic humanitarians who rushed to Greece At the height of the refugee crisis. In other countries, at other times, his idealism may be celebrated.
But the 27-year-old law student has spent the past two years in London. He is a man who lives in fear. Despite being forced to give up volunteering, the German-born Irishman and his Syrian friend Sarah Mardini may be the most famous rescue workers in Greece. The reason is completely wrong: criminal investigations have been hanging on them for the past three years. On the head.
“There is no criminal or heroic act to help people in distress at sea,” he told reporters Observer“In terms of law and morality, this is the right approach.”
These activists are accused of human trafficking, money laundering, fraud and espionage-the last charge is based on the following allegation: on the Aegean island of Lesbos, at the center of the refugee tide, they monitor the Coast Guard’s radio channels and ships. To get the location of the smuggling ship.
In an 86-page report, the police also accused them of being members of a criminal organization that pretended to be an NGO with the purpose of making huge profits by bringing people to Greece illegally. The allegations came after a six-month investigation by the police: The human rights organization supporting the couple called them “farce.”
“This is a sword of Damocles,” Binder said. “Although these allegations may be absurd, they cast a shadow over your life and prevent you from moving on.”
On Sunday, he flew to Athens and then went to Lesbos for trial. Four days later, he will see 22 other frontline volunteers also standing in the dock-a case described as an unprecedented symbol for civil society activists. Harass All of Europe. That hearing will mark the beginning of a judicial drama that could lead them to spend 25 years in prison.
“I’m scared,” Binder readily admitted, recalling the 106 days of pretrial detention he was allowed to pay 5,000 euros on bail and leave Greece. “I experienced prison life in Chios. It was full of scabies and bed bugs, and 17 of us were locked up in a cell. The police cell was even worse. It was the most terrible place on earth; it was a dirty, windowless room. It is crowded with asylum seekers because the authorities have nowhere to settle them.”
Binder was released on December 5, 2018. A few hours later, Maldini also volunteered to join the now-defunct International Emergency Response Center. Be released Corridalos prison in Athens, the harshest prison in Greece. She was 23 years old at the time.
Mardini became famous as early as three years ago. When their boat capsized after leaving Turkey, they saved the refugees from death. Only 3 of the 20 people on the boat can swim.Sarah and her sister Yusla are a competitive swimmer and will continue to participate in the Rio Olympics. She jumped into the sea, pushing and pulling the boat until it reached Lesbos-this feat will be immortal. Netflix TV series Produced by British director Stephen Daldry, it is expected to be released next year.
Thursday’s trial will focus on allegations of espionage and illegal use of radio frequencies-considered a misdemeanor under Greek law, and punishable by up to eight years in prison.
Despite wanting to attend, Maldini learned on Friday that she will be tried in absentia after a judge refused to temporarily lift the seven-year travel ban that barred her from re-entering Greece. As a non-EU citizen, she is considered responsible for public safety.
“Investigations for long-term felonies are still ongoing,” said Zacharias Kesses, head of the legal team of activists in Athens. “This week, they will be tried for unfounded accusations of using WhatsApp’s encrypted application to spread information about migration flows.” He said this is an extraordinary accusation because the data is publicly available. And it is known to the port police.
In view of the seriousness of the allegations, his legal team has sought advice from the American and British Bar Associations. “Both have studied the case files and concluded that the allegations have no legal basis. Their purpose is more to deter volunteers than to respond honestly to criminal evidence.”
Cases insisted that aid workers are “easy targets” on the frontline islands, and the local area has exerted tremendous pressure on NGOs, which are generally believed to encourage refugees to transit through Turkey. “Some of the allegations date back to 2016, when Sean and Sarah were not in Greece,” the lawyer said. “This is ridiculous.”
Hundreds of volunteers left the country for fear that they might be the next.Amnesty International stated that it considers the upcoming case “particularly iconic” because not only has the atmosphere against NGOs become more hostile, but Greece itself is also suspected of being involved. fight back The number of asylum seekers on its increasingly militarized land and sea borders.
“Human rights defenders everywhere Europe Convicted and dragged away by the courts for helping refugees and migrants in need,” said Giorgos Kosmopoulos, a Brussels-based activist whose team will oversee the trial. “Sarah and Sean should be role models for our society, but they risk To spend the best time of my life in prison, only taking risks to do the right thing. “
On Monday, a solidarity rally outside the Greek parliament will demand that the charges be dropped.
Binder was a well-trained diver before starting legal studies, and he attributes his tradition to his desire to make the world a better place. His father was a Vietnamese refugee who fled to Germany after the fall of Saigon, where he met Sean’s mother; his two grandmothers, “the first couple in western Ireland”, did a lot of volunteer work.
If he has any hope, it is “summary” so that he can continue his life. But he is also very pragmatic.
“I haven’t bought a return ticket yet,” he said. “It may end in a few hours. It may take months. We may be imprisoned. What I know is that at this point, anything can happen.”
