Italy's criminalisation of migrant rescue: the luventa case

Italy's new government has launched a fresh assault on non-governmental rescue groups that save lives.

While the rhetoric is sharper and some tactics are new, successive Italian governments have tried to block groups who rescue migrants at sea, including with criminal charges.

Judges have thrown out all charges in all cases except one: an ongoing trial of members of the Iuventa crew and two other rescue groups. The case, currently listed for a further preliminary hearing on 19 De...