Migration – European Union - Q&A - Excerpts from the daily press briefing (03.06.19)
Q - According to a document filed in the International Criminal Court on Monday, France is one of several countries accused of being responsible for a European migration policy that resulted in crimes against humanity: More than 40,000 people have been intercepted in the Mediterranean and taken to detention camps or torture houses under this policy.
Citing public EU documents, statements by the French President, German Chancellor and other European high officials, the document alleges that EU leaders were knowingly responsible for deaths at sea and on land, as well as the widespread rape and torture committed by members of the Libyan Coast Guard, funded and trained by European taxpayers. How does the Ministry respond to these accusations?
A - We learned via the press of the NGOs’ intention to file such a document in the International Criminal Court.
This accusation is meaningless and has no legal grounds.
France has worked hard to combat human trafficking and smugglers. At France’s initiative and through the efforts of Jean-Yves Le Drian, in June 2018 the UN Security Council imposed individual sanctions on people involved in human trafficking and migrant trafficking in Libya. It is working with the countries of origin and transit to dismantle illegal channels and networks of smugglers, and to attack their funding arrangements.
These measures reflect President Macron’s goal of improving the international response to the migratory crisis in conjunction with our UN, EU and African Union partners, and in line with the meetings of heads of state and government held in Paris in August 2017 and Abidjan in November 2017.
It is also committed to providing a durable European response to the migration challenge based on the principles of responsibility and solidarity, especially as regards the right to asylum. Within the European framework, France has taken in individuals rescued at sea and in need of protection.