Sarah Mardini and 23 volunteers who participated in helping refugees reach Lesbos in Greece have been accused of human trafficking, money laundering, and fraud. They have been classified as a criminal organization according to a report submitted to the court. Sarah Medini’s trial will be on November 18, in Lesbos. She may be punished with more than 25 years of prison.
In her interview with Migrant News, Sarah Mardini said “I am optimistic about the verdict in my case that begins today, because the case is based on lies. There is no evidence that I did anything that infringes the law. So, I am not afraid of the trial.” She added: “I had no contact with any refugee coming. Our task was to provide water and blankets to keep them warm, help sick migrants to have a doctor, and also help with translation from Arabic to English and vice versa.”
However, Sarah acknowledged the right of the hosting countries to protect their borders. She said, “I understand that countries fear the entry of people who threaten their security. But they do not have the right to prevent defenceless people who only seek safety. International law guarantees the right to seek asylum.”
It is worth noting that a solidarity campaign was launched by international organizations to pressure the Greek government and to collect donations for lawyers’ expenses in order to defend Sarah.
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