Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili (CILD) has created an easily accessible guide to contrast the media’s smear campaign against NGOs involved in migrant search and rescue operations. During recent months, CSOs and human rights defenders involved in search and rescue activities in the Mediterranean, and in providing assistance to migrants arriving in Italian ports, have been made objects of an aggressive media campaign. The debate started after media, politicians and even prosecutors accused CSOs of collusion with human traffickers, of acting as a pull factor for migrants’ boats and of being responsible of the increase in migration flows towards Italy. These are serious accusations for anyone, but especially for people committed to solidarity. As a consequence of the accusations, the public has started viewing NGOs with suspicion and blaming them for the migration situation. The report is available for download here.
Source: Liberties.eu