#FreeHumanitarians – A Win Against the Criminalization of Humanitarian Aid Workers
For years, humanitarian aid workers and volunteers across Europe have faced an alarming and deeply troubling trend: the criminalization of solidarity. People who act to save lives, provide first aid, water, warmth, and dignity are increasingly treated as criminals rather than as human beings responding to urgent need.
The recent acquittal of humanitarian volunteers and rescuers in Greece marks an important and long-overdue victory, not only for those directly affected, but for everyone committed to human rights, freedom of movement, and the protection of life.
The Case That Shook Humanitarian Work in the Aegean
In 2018, a group of humanitarian workers were arrested on the Greek island of Lesvos for their involvement in search and rescue and emergency response activities in the Aegean Sea. Among them were international volunteers and aid workers, including the sister of Olympic swimmer and refugee advocate Yusra Mardini.
Their crime (?), providing life-saving assistance to people fleeing war, persecution, and violence.
Despite a complete lack of evidence, the accused faced severe charges, including human smuggling, participation in a criminal organization, espionage, and financial crimes. For years, this case stood as one of the most prominent examples of how states use legal systems to intimidate, exhaust, and silence those who refuse to look away.
The chilling effect was immediate and devastating. After these arrests, many organizations stopped conducting rescue operations in the Aegean altogether, out of fear of persecution. The result was not safety or order, but more deaths, more suffering, and more isolation for people on the move.
#FreeHumanitarians: Solidarity Under Attack, Solidarity in Response
In response to the prosecutions, the NGO #FreeHumanitarians was formed to support the eight individuals initially charged and to challenge the broader criminalization of humanitarian aid.
By criminalizing aid workers, authorities deliberately isolate people on the move, cutting them off from NGOs, medical support, and basic humanitarian assistance. Isolation becomes a policy tool.
At EmpowerVan, our work is rooted in the belief that access to care, information, and human connection is not optional, but essential to aid. When humanitarian actors are pushed out through fear and legal harassment, people on the move are left without access to urgent support.
A Long Road to Justice
After more than seven years of legal limbo, the Greek criminal court finally acquitted all 24 accused rescuers and volunteers. The court confirmed what should never have been in doubt: Humanitarian assistance is not a crime.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, had long condemned the case as a blatant attempt to criminalize life-saving action. This acquittal vindicates not only the defendants, but every person who has ever chosen solidarity over silence.
Amnesty documented the prosecution of search-and-rescue volunteer Seán Binder, while Human Rights Watch reported on the acquittal of humanitarian workers in Greece.
Why This Matters Beyond One Court Case
This ruling sends an important message, showing that we must not stop fighting for justice. Especially in times, where aggression seems to be the new norm, and collaboration seems to be the exception - it sparks hope to see that humanity can win.
However, across Europe and beyond, humanitarian workers continue to face surveillance, prosecution, and intimidation. The strategy remains the same: punish solidarity to make suffering invisible.
We see this clearly in our work in Greece, where many are criminalized and the civic space for humanity in action is shrinking. This means that people on the move are pushed further into danger, while those trying to help are forced to operate under constant threat.
At EmpowerVan, we stand firmly against this trend. We believe that solidarity is not a crime, that mobility should not be punished, and that humanitarian action must be protected, not prosecuted.
A Victory, and a Call to Keep Going
The acquittal of the #FreeHumanitarians is a victory worth celebrating. It reminds us that resistance matters, that collective pressure works, and that justice (however delayed) can still prevail.
A celebration and a reminder: we must remain vigilant and continue to collectively work to uphold our human values.
Written by: Claude Jonkmans
Additional Resource: Interview from 2024 from the founder of #FreeHumanitarians, Claudia. Dorst, and Claude Jonkmans, as part of an awareness raising campaign.
