SOS Europe: The human cost of defending our borders

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 
MEDIA ADVISORY 
 
Amnesty International and Claude Moraes MEP invite you to a lunch event:
 
SOS Europe: The human cost of defending our borders
 
Screening of Closed Sea, the award-winning documentary, and panel discussion
 
Date: Thursday, 18 October
Time: 12.00 noon- 2.00pm CET
Venue: European Parliament, ASP A3H-1
 
Background
 
In an attempt to prevent "irregular migration" from Africa, some European countries have implemented border control measures beyond their own territory, at sea and on land. Countries have agreed to intercept boats at sea and return people to countries in West and North Africa, exposing them to serious human rights violations. Given the lack of transparency in these border-management operations, violations go unchecked. 
 
Panellist Abu Kurke was pushed back to Libya when he tried to cross to Europe in 2010. The following year he was one of the nine survivors on a boat where 63 people died. The award-winning documentary Closed Sea explores the consequences on the migrants who struggle to reach Europe. The film will be followed by a panel discussion on the human rights implications of these border-control strategies, and an audience question and answer session. 
 
PANELLISTS
 
Claude Moraes MEP, host, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
Abu Kurke, Ethiopian refugee, push-back witness and boat survivor
Stefano Liberti, director, Closed Sea
Diana Eltahawy, Libya researcher, Amnesty International, recently returned from Libya
All are available for interview afterwards
 
 
This event is part of Amnesty International’s When you don’t exist campaign, which aims to improve human rights protection for migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Europe and around its borders. Under the SOS Europe, slogan, Amnesty International’s campaign seeks to highlight human rights violations on Europe’s borders and hold those responsible to account. To find out more, see: www.whenyoudontexist.eu.
 
Practical information
 
Please confirm your attendance with Anna Maria Leichtfried at [email protected]. If you need accreditation to the European Parliament, please send your name, date of birth, nationality and ID type and number by Thursday, 11 October at the latest. On the day, please be at the Altiero Spinelli entrance of the European Parliament between 11.00-11.45am.