2025-09-06 –, lakeside
Language: English
English
While European activists like sea rescuers receive considerable attention when they become targets of criminalization, the everyday practice of detaining migrants facing the same charges remains largely invisible. For years, as part of the so-called "fight against migrant smuggling," people have been systematically arrested for driving a boat and sentenced to long prison terms.
The talk will examine this racist practice, the underlying discourse on migrant smuggling, as well as the fight against it.
Deutsch
Während europäische Aktivistinnen wie Seenotretterinnen viel Aufmerksamkeit erhalten, wenn sie zur Zielscheibe von Kriminalisierung werden, bleibt die alltägliche Praxis der Inhaftierung von Migrierenden, die mit denselben Anschuldigungen konfrontiert sind, weitgehend unsichtbar. Seit Jahren werden als Teil der sogenannten „Schleuserbekämpfung“ Menschen systematisch dafür verhaftet, das Boot gesteuert zu haben und zu langen Haftstrafen verurteilt.
Der Vortrag beleuchtet diese rassistische Praxis, den dahinterstehenden Schleuser-Diskurs sowie den politischen Kampf gegen diese Kriminalisierung
This talk sheds light on how the criminalization of migrating people plays out in practice—particularly in countries such as Italy and Greece. It focuses on the legal framework, concrete cases, as well as counter-strategies. It critically examines the public discourse around “smuggling”: Who or what is being criminalized, in what way, and for what reasons? And why is “smuggling” not the same as human trafficking, even though these terms are repeatedly conflated in politics, the media, and even within solidarity movements?
de:criminalize is a collective that supports people who face criminal charges for migrating themselves or for helping others to do so. They connect them with lawyers, maintain contact with their families, provide support in prison, accompany and document cases and court proceedings, and engage in public advocacy.
de:criminalize emerged from the anti-criminalization working group of borderline-europe in 2024.