Criminalisation and Constraint of Humanitarian Action at Sea

This research paper examines the criminalisation and constraint of humanitarian actors conducting maritime search and rescue operations in the context of mixed migration. It analyses relevant international legal frameworks, highlights practices such as denied or delayed disembarkation and restrictive national measures, and reviews case studies. The report finds that such constraints undermine rescue obligations, restrict humanitarian space, and adversely affect the rights of refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants.