Sarah Mardini, the Syrian competitive swimmer who was hailed as a hero for saving refugees’ lives at sea, is among dozens of humanitarian workers in Greece facing charges that could see them imprisoned for decades.
The trial of the 24 defendants, who worked on the Greek island of Lesbos assisting vulnerable people arriving on Europe’s shores, is set to begin on Thursday.
They were members of an NGO, the Emergency Response Center International (ERCI), a search-and-rescue group which operated on the Greek island from 2016 to 2018.
They face up to eight-year imprisonment for state-secret espionage and disclosure and 25 years in jail for charges including smuggling and money laundering.
Amnesty International has called the accusations “unfair and baseless”.
Three years ago, Mardini and Sean Binder, an Irish citizen and rescue diver, were volunteering their time on Lesbos when they were arrested on a series of charges, including smuggling, espionage, unlawful use of radio frequencies and fraud.
They spent more than 100 days in pre-trial detention before being released on bail in December 2018.
The trial beginning Thursday could be the first of a possible series of court cases related to the proceedings brought by Greek authorities in 2018.
Mardini, 25, arrived on Lesbos as a refugee from Syria in 2015.
She and her sister Yusra Mardini, now an Olympic swimmer, were widely celebrated for their bravery and humanitarian spirit. When the engine of the refugee boat they were on failed, they saved 18 fellow passengers by dragging the sinking vessel to safety.
Sarah returned to the island three years later, in 2018, to volunteer on a search-and-rescue mission. There she met Binder, 27, and the two worked to support people who had just arrived on Lesbos to claim asylum before they were arrested.
Rights groups have called for the charges to be dropped and pointed out inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the prosecution’s case.
“The Greek authorities’ misuse of the criminal justice system to harass these humanitarian rescuers seems designed to deter future rescue efforts, which will only put lives at risk,” said Bill Van Esveld, associate children’s rights director at Human Rights Watch.
“The slipshod investigation and absurd charges, including espionage, against people engaged in life-saving work reeks of politically motivated prosecution.”
Colm O’Gorman, head of Amnesty International Ireland, said: “Sean Binder, who grew up in Ireland, has seen an outpouring of support for him from across our society, and we know that the world will be watching what happens in Greece this week. The fact that he and other humanitarians are facing up to 25 years in prison for showing basic human decency and compassion is a moral stain on Europe.
“Seeking asylum is not a crime; trying to save people from drowning at sea is not a crime. Europe has to stop criminalising humanitarians, and to start protecting those fleeing to our shores in search of safety.”