Rights groups hail acquittal after seven years of aid workers prosecuted during Greece refugee crisis

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Helena Smith in AthensJanuary 16, 2026 at 01:12 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

After a seven-year legal battle, a Greek court acquitted two dozen aid workers on Lesbos who were accused of smuggling migrants during the 2015 refugee crisis. The defendants, who faced up to 20 years in prison, had been engaged in rescue work on the Aegean island. Rights groups and the European Parliament had criticized the prosecutions, calling it the "criminalization of solidarity." The case was seen as a test of how humanitarians are treated in Europe amid increasingly strict migration policies. While rights groups welcomed the acquittals, they also expressed concern that the prosecutions had effectively halted life-saving work in the Aegean Sea. Among those acquitted were Sara Mardini, a Syrian refugee, and Sean Binder, who both spent 100 days in jail after their 2018 arrest.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Germany 30% Eva Cosse 40% North Aegean 40% Syria 50% Zacharias Kesses 50% Kyriakos Mitsotakis 50% Human Rights Watch 60% European Parliament 60% Sara Mardini ×260% Sean Binder 60% Lesbos 70% Greece ×390%

Keywords

aid workers 100% refugee crisis 90% smuggling migrants 80% acquittal 80% greece 70% humanitarian work 60% criminalization of solidarity 60% pushbacks 50% lesbos 40%