Captain of anti-migrant ship briefly held on suspicion of human trafficking after Sri Lankan crew claim asylum
'A ship crewed by far-Right activists intending to highlight the threat of people-smuggling in the Mediterranean was detained in northern Cyprus on Thursday amid allegations that some of its Sri Lankan crew had paid smugglers to help them escape to Europe. '
'The allegations, which were strongly denied by the Defend Europe group which chartered the C-Star vessel, were the subject of a court hearing in Northern Cyprus on Thursday after five of the Sri Lankan crew claimed political asylum on the island. '
'The row, which was picked up liberal NGOs hostile to the Defend Europe project, saw the C-star’s captain and his deputy being arrested and detained on suspicion of forging documents after it was alleged that some of the Sri Lankan crew were travelling on false papers. '
[–] ArsCortica ago
Because who could have known using a crew of potential refugees to block actual refugees wouldn't backfire.