This year, on the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees, Pope Leo XIV calls on us all to remember the suffering of migrant and refugee children, especially those travelling alone. At JRS, the cornerstone of our work with young people is that these children are...
On Friday, 11th 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 event is our yearly event celebrating community, an effort to raise funds for our cause, and an...
We are extremely disappointed that the Equality Minister’s first decision was to wholly ignore human rights NGOs. The Bill to strengthen Malta’s human rights regime and establish a much-needed human rights institution was rushed through Parliament, despite our...
ILGA-Europe have drafted a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola following last week’s shameful scenes at the European Parliament on the occasion of the adoption of the Return Regulation, calling on her to publicly condemn the chanting of the MEPs,...
For a couple of weeks in June the JRS offices had the pleasure of welcoming a group of volunteers from the Boston University. The students participated in job shadowing, received training and joined in on different activities with staff members. As part of our ongoing...
The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in poor conditions. Lawyer Neil Falzon from aditus foundation, together...
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to belong. Unfortunately, just when the needs are greatest, devastating...
We are deeply concerned at Malta’s statement urging the Council of Europe to explore how to restrict the fundamental human rights of migrants. Packaged as national security measures, the proposals will result in a dramatic lowering of human rights standards in over...
JRS Malta is launching a Call for a Service Contract for the provision of research studies into the lived experiences of asylum seekers and the legal and policy framework regulating access to healthcare for different categories of migrants. This task is part of the...
JRS Malta is teaming up with Jesuits & Friends to launch the latest in a series of our fundraising efforts. This time, we are calling on all running enthusiasts to join the Jesuits & Friends Team at the LifeStar Malta Marathon and help raise funds for JRS in...
Prioritise life and let them in! – Joint NGO Statement
We are utterly disillusioned by the news that, once more, in the space of less than two weeks, almost 150 people are stranded out at sea in Malta’s SAR, while Malta waits for other European states to step in and offer support.
Yesterday morning, NGOs and media sources reported that some 78 migrants had been rescued from a vessel in distress in Malta’s SAR. They are currently aboard the Marina, a commercial vessel, close to Lampedusa waiting for directions from Malta, the state responsible for ensuring rescue and disembarkation in a safe port, about where to disembark. NGOs monitoring the migrants’ situation have reported that they are lacking food, water and medical care.
A further 57 rescued migrants are on board the Captain Morgan vessel, Europa II, normally used for coastal cruising. The Europa II was chartered by the Maltese government in order to board migrants that were transferred from the private vessel that rescued them. The government has stated that they will remain there, on the high seas, until there are concrete commitments for their relocation from other European states.
Although the migrants aboard the Europa II have been provided with food, water, basic supplies and emergency medical care, this is nowhere near enough to fulfill Malta’s international human rights obligations. This action by the Maltese government directly undermines the protection of human life at Europe’s borders.
We recognise the challenges that Malta and Italy are facing to deal with the increase in boat arrivals with little or no support from other Member States. In spite of this and although facing demanding circumstances, the Italian authorities allowed rescued migrants from two vessels to disembark in Lampedusa this weekend.
However, these challenges cannot be used as an excuse to abdicate our responsibility to save lives and to ensure that the rights of all within our jurisdiction are safeguarded. This duty is not only a legal but also a moral imperative which can never be subjected to political conditions, such as the availability of concrete offers of relocation.
While it is no doubt important to safeguard public health and secure our national borders, this cannot, and should never be, at the cost of the life or safety of others, especially those fleeing conflict zones and seeking refuge.
We urge the government to prioritise the safety and security of the men, women and children on board the Marina and Europa II, and to allow the rescued migrants to disembark in Malta.
We also appeal to Member States to act on the basis of the principle of solidarity and the fair sharing of responsibilities. Case-by-case arrangements and ad hoc solutions are contributing to dangerous political games and unnecessary suffering. We urge you to prioritise life and let them in!
#DontLetThemDrown
4 May 2020
This year, on the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees, Pope Leo XIV calls on us all to remember the suffering of migrant and refugee children, especially those travelling alone. At JRS, the cornerstone of our work with young people is that these children are...
On Friday, 11th 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 event is our yearly event celebrating community, an effort to raise funds for our cause, and an...
We are extremely disappointed that the Equality Minister’s first decision was to wholly ignore human rights NGOs. The Bill to strengthen Malta’s human rights regime and establish a much-needed human rights institution was rushed through Parliament, despite our...
ILGA-Europe have drafted a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola following last week’s shameful scenes at the European Parliament on the occasion of the adoption of the Return Regulation, calling on her to publicly condemn the chanting of the MEPs,...
For a couple of weeks in June the JRS offices had the pleasure of welcoming a group of volunteers from the Boston University. The students participated in job shadowing, received training and joined in on different activities with staff members. As part of our ongoing...
The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in poor conditions. Lawyer Neil Falzon from aditus foundation, together...
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to belong. Unfortunately, just when the needs are greatest, devastating...
We are deeply concerned at Malta’s statement urging the Council of Europe to explore how to restrict the fundamental human rights of migrants. Packaged as national security measures, the proposals will result in a dramatic lowering of human rights standards in over...
JRS Malta is launching a Call for a Service Contract for the provision of research studies into the lived experiences of asylum seekers and the legal and policy framework regulating access to healthcare for different categories of migrants. This task is part of the...
JRS Malta is teaming up with Jesuits & Friends to launch the latest in a series of our fundraising efforts. This time, we are calling on all running enthusiasts to join the Jesuits & Friends Team at the LifeStar Malta Marathon and help raise funds for JRS in...
This year, on the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees, Pope Leo XIV calls on us all to remember the suffering of migrant and refugee children, especially those travelling alone. At JRS, the...
On Friday, 11th 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 event is our yearly event...
