A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health and safety regulations, and numerous instances of bullying,...
Disembark the migrants aboard the MV TALIA – Civil society press release

Latest news
Join us for ‘Under the Stars’ – A Night of Music, Food & Solidarity
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about celebrating community – with live music, delicious food, and a raffle...
JRS Malta launches complaints procedure
We are here for you… At JRS we do our best to provide clients with a professional service focused on supporting clients’ needs. We do our utmost to help clients feel respected and supported, as we meet their needs. If however there has been a situation where you have...
Call for maternity leave cover: advocacy and administration
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a Maternity Leave Cover – Advocacy & Administration to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The selected candidate will be offered a 6-month definite term full-time contract. As this post is a maternity leave cover, renewal...
JRS is seeking to recruit a Lawyer
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a LAWYER, to work with asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who cannot work at least...
aditus and JRS Malta welcome CPT Report over detention conditions in Malta
aditus and JRS Malta welcome the recently published report by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The report confirms many of the concerns we have been raising for several years regarding the...
JRS statement on Assisted Voluntary Euthanasia
Dying with dignity is not about deciding when to die, but about making sure every person is cared for, given adequate pain management, and never made to feel like a burden. Accompanying refugees at the end of their lives, we have witnessed first-hand the excruciating...
Updated: JRS Malta is looking for cultural mediators
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit CULTURAL MEDIATORS who are fluent in the following languages: Bangla, French, Spanish, Tigrinya, Ukrainian The selected candidate will be offered a six-month contract of service - renewable upon review - to support members of the JRS...
JRS Malta launches call for Researcher
JRS Malta is launching a call for Expression of Interest for a researcher to work with the Project Research Coordinator to conduct a mapping exercise into the needs and sources of support of asylum seekers who identify as vulnerable. This task is part of the RRF...
Updated: JRS is seeking to recruit a Psychosocial Team Coordinator
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a PSYCHOSOCIAL TEAM COORDINATOR to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who...
Disembark the migrants aboard the MV TALIA – Civil society press release
It is beyond shameful that, once more, around 50 men and women have been stranded for days out at sea. They are being housed in miserable and unhygienic conditions on board the MV TALIA, a vessel intended for the transportation of animals. They were rescued on the explicit instructions of the Maltese authorities and are now waiting for a port of safety to be identified. Malta simply may not abdicate responsibility for people on its territory and for whom it is clearly responsible.
Whilst we fully appreciate the serious challenges posed by the arrival by sea of asylum-seekers, we underline that, as the state responsible for the search and rescue area where the rescue took place, Malta is responsible for coordinating the disembarkation of the rescued migrants in a port of safety. Furthermore, Malta human rights obligations require it to ensure that all who wish to apply for asylum in Malta are able to do so. Malta should also ensure that no one is subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, whether on board the rescuing vessel or in a country to which they are sent for disembarkation.
Malta, together with other States, is also responsible for ensuring that its actions do not serve to deter private vessels from rescuing migrants in distress at sea. This would not only be a serious violation of maritime traditions and laws, but also a relinquishment of the value of life and human dignity.
We also underline the obligation of the European Union to show true solidarity with people fleeing war and persecution and with those Member States struggling to cope with their asylum obligations.
We therefore urge the Government to allow the rescued migrants to disembark in Malta immediately. We also reiterate our request for a meeting with the authorities to discuss Malta’s position on rescue at sea and disembarkation, as well as on how we can support Malta’s efforts to secure political consensus on the creation of an effective mechanism for true responsibility-sharing among the Member States of the EU.
7 July 2020
Statement of:
- aditus foundation
- African Media Association Malta
- Allied Rainbow Communities
- Association for Justice, Equality and Peace
- Bue Door English
- Catholic Voices Malta
- Christian Life Community (CLC) Malta
- Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation
- Doctors for Choice Malta
- Fondazzjoni Sebħ
- Great Oak Malta Association
- Integra Foundation
- Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
- Justice and Peace Commission
- KOPIN
- Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ (KNŻ)
- LGBTI+ Gozo
- Malta Emigrants’ Commission
- Malta House of Prayer
- Men Against Violence
- MGRM
- Migrant Women Association Malta
- Moviment Graffitti
- Office of the Dean, Facutly of Education
- Office of the Dean, Faculty for Social Wellbeing
- Paolo Freire Institute
- Peace and Good Foundation
- Repubblika
- Richmond Foundation Malta
- Segretarjat Assistenza Socjali tal-Azzjoni Kattolika Maltija
- SOS Malta
- Sudanese Community
- Sudanese Migrant Association
- Victim Support Malta
- Women’s Rights Foundation
Latest news stories
JRS Malta report sheds light on The Human Cost of Legal Precarity and Labour Exploitation in Malta
A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health and safety regulations, and numerous instances of bullying,...
Join us for ‘Under the Stars’ – A Night of Music, Food & Solidarity
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about celebrating community – with live music, delicious food, and a raffle...
JRS Malta launches complaints procedure
We are here for you… At JRS we do our best to provide clients with a professional service focused on supporting clients’ needs. We do our utmost to help clients feel respected and supported, as we meet their needs. If however there has been a situation where you have...
Call for maternity leave cover: advocacy and administration
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a Maternity Leave Cover – Advocacy & Administration to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The selected candidate will be offered a 6-month definite term full-time contract. As this post is a maternity leave cover, renewal...
JRS is seeking to recruit a Lawyer
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a LAWYER, to work with asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who cannot work at least...
aditus and JRS Malta welcome CPT Report over detention conditions in Malta
aditus and JRS Malta welcome the recently published report by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The report confirms many of the concerns we have been raising for several years regarding the...
JRS statement on Assisted Voluntary Euthanasia
Dying with dignity is not about deciding when to die, but about making sure every person is cared for, given adequate pain management, and never made to feel like a burden. Accompanying refugees at the end of their lives, we have witnessed first-hand the excruciating...
Updated: JRS Malta is looking for cultural mediators
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit CULTURAL MEDIATORS who are fluent in the following languages: Bangla, French, Spanish, Tigrinya, Ukrainian The selected candidate will be offered a six-month contract of service - renewable upon review - to support members of the JRS...
JRS Malta launches call for Researcher
JRS Malta is launching a call for Expression of Interest for a researcher to work with the Project Research Coordinator to conduct a mapping exercise into the needs and sources of support of asylum seekers who identify as vulnerable. This task is part of the RRF...
Updated: JRS is seeking to recruit a Psychosocial Team Coordinator
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a PSYCHOSOCIAL TEAM COORDINATOR to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who...

JRS Malta report sheds light on The Human Cost of Legal Precarity and Labour Exploitation in Malta
A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health...

Join us for ‘Under the Stars’ – A Night of Music, Food & Solidarity
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about...