The European Union and its member states are “criminally complicit” in Libya’s handling of migration, according to Mounir Satouri, chair of the European Parliament’s human rights committee. The French Green MEP made the remarks after Libya’s coast guard allegedly opened fire on a humanitarian rescue vessel in the Mediterranean Sea.
“This is not passive support, it is active complicity in crimes,” Satouri said on Saturday, pointing to the EU’s financial and material backing of Libya’s coast guard as part of Europe’s broader migration control strategy.
Humanitarian group SOS Mediterranee reported that its rescue ship, the Norwegian-flagged Ocean Viking, came under sustained fire from Libyan authorities on Sunday afternoon while searching for a migrant boat in distress. The attack reportedly lasted 20 minutes and took place in international waters, around 40 nautical miles north of the Libyan coast.
Although no casualties were reported, SOS Mediterranee said the vessel sustained “significant damage.” The Ocean Viking, chartered by the organization in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, later continued toward Italy with 87 rescued migrants already on board.
“This was one of the most violent confrontations our teams have ever faced,” said Soazic Dupuy, director of operations for SOS Mediterranee. “We demand a full investigation and accountability for those who carried out this reckless and life-threatening attack.”
The Libyan coast guard, a central partner in EU efforts to curb irregular migration, receives extensive European training, equipment, and funding. Yet humanitarian organizations and rights groups have long accused it of violent tactics, including firing on NGO vessels, forcibly returning migrants to abusive detention centers in Libya, and systematically violating international law.
Critics argue that by outsourcing border control to Libya, the EU has effectively enabled these abuses. The latest incident has renewed calls from lawmakers and rights groups for Europe to end its reliance on Libyan authorities and instead create safe, legal routes for migrants and refugees.
