Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday called on Italy to revoke its migrant cooperation agreement with Libya, saying the arrangement “has proven to be a framework for violence and suffering, and should be revoked, not renewed.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the countries, first signed in February 2017, was part of Italy’s broader strategy to tighten its national borders. The agreement has allowed Italy to provide technical, logistical and financial support the Libyan Coast Guard, empowering them to intercept tens of thousands of people at sea and return them to Libya. However, NGOs have consistently documented how intercepted refugees and asylum seekers are routinely detained in inhumane conditions, where they face torture and other degrading treatment.

In 2023,

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