On Monday, Amnesty International called on Italian lawmakers to reject a pending migration deal with Albania, termed by the organization as “unworkable, harmful and unlawful.” This deal, if ratified, would establish centers in Albania, operating under Italian jurisdiction, for detaining migrants rescued at sea by Italian ships.
The agreement was signed in November with the stated objectives of combating human trafficking, preventing illegal migration flows and only accepting those who truly hold the right to international protection. These centers, according to a press statement by Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, are designed to hold up to 3,000 individuals at a time and would be operational by next spring.
The protocol’s ratification, however, has been temporarily suspended by the Albanian constitutional court following questions about its validity. Opposition lawmakers in Albania assert that the deal was improperly approved and would cede Albanian sovereignty to Italy.
Amnesty International has expressed worries over the potential human rights impacts of the deal. For instance, it remains unclear how migrants in Albania would be able to access legal assistance in Italy to challenge their detentions. Amnesty highlights that an automatic detention policy could be arbitrary and contravene EU law. Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights guarantees an individual’s “right to liberty and security of the person” and only permits detention in adherence with its conditions.
This migration deal is part of a broader, contested trend toward outsourcing asylum procedures, which the Council of Europe refers to as a “worrying” trend, citing associated legal uncertainties. That said, the deal has found favor with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who lauded the agreement, asserting that it aligns with EU obligations.
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