Amnesty International Urges Italy to Stop Mass Expulsions

(Washington, D.C.) Amnesty International is calling on the Italian authorities to investigate urgently whether 68 people rescued at sea and then forcibly returned to Egypt within 48 hours were given the opportunity to apply for international protection. “All people rescued at sea must be given the opportunity to seek asylum and to have their claims assessed in a fair and satisfactory asylum determination procedure,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s deputy director for Europe and Central Asia. “There are concerns that in this case none of the individuals, included the 68