UN Tells Malta to Drop Terrorism Charges Against African Migrants Accused of Hijacking Tanker

African Muslim Men 

Are Now Also Required To Wear The Burqa

GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations human rights office called on Malta on Tuesday to drop terrorism charges against three African teenage migrants arrested for hijacking a small commercial tanker that rescued their vessel off the coast of Libya. 

The three, who have pleaded not guilty, were among 108 Africans rescued by the El Hiblu 1 tanker in late March. 

They are accused of threatening the crew to try to force the boat to go to Malta and not take them back to Libya.

Many of the migrants, including several children, had been dehydrated and exhibiting “clear signs of torture”, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. 

The three youths – one from Ivory Coast and two from Guinea – are due to appear in court on May 20, she said. “The accused, aged 15, 16 and 19, have been charged under Maltese laws for allegedly hijacking the ship and forcing it to go to Malta. 

Some of the charges are punishable by life imprisonment,” Shamdasani told a news briefing.

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