Author | Lightnews

Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 1d

Images coming out of Sudan are horrifying and heartbreaking, it seems that the Janjaweed are finishing what they started 20 years ago. 💔 #StopEthnicCleansing
#SaveDarfur #SaveSudan #AlFashir

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Reposted by Meron Estefanos

The Continent @thecontinent.org · 2d

As Virunga National Park turns 100, Congo’s crown jewel faces crisis: rebel occupation, local anger, failed projects, and a controversial Belgian “prince” at its helm. Once a symbol of conservation, it’s now a battleground of power, poverty, and profit — even hosting a Bitcoin mine.

The Belgian prince, the national park, and the bitcoin mine

Emmanuel de Merode’s controversial stewardship of the DRC’s iconic Virunga National Park is giving him even greater powers.

continent.substack.com

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Reposted by Meron Estefanos

The Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute @dairinstitute.bsky.social · 9d

🚨NEW🚨 from DAIR:

Today we are releasing "Driven Down", a new report on how workplace technology enables Amazon to steal wages, hide labor,
intensify poor working conditions, and evade responsibility.

Read the full report here: drive.google.com/file/d/1yBxy...

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Reposted by Meron Estefanos

Omer Shatz @omershatz.bsky.social · 13d

6 years of joint work with so many colleagues and students

700 pages deconstructing the EU apparatus of power from Z to A

500 officials individuals identified in office b/w 2014 and 2020

122 allegedly implicated in ICC crimes

Next: the 2021-2025 suspects

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...

Lawyers ask ICC to investigate 122 European officials for crimes against humanity in Mediterranean

Human rights lawyers accused 122 European officials of committing crimes against migrants in the Mediterranean Sea

www.washingtonpost.com

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 14d

A landmark legal action has been filed before the International Criminal Court.
700-page legal brief to the International Criminal Court, exposing the involvement of 122 EU & Member State officials in crimes against humanity committed against migrants on the Central Mediterranean route (2014–2020).

After 6 years (!) of investigation, a landmark legal action has been filed before the International Criminal Court.
ICC Counsels Dr. Omer Shatz (front-LEX) and Dr. Juan Branco have submitted a 700-page legal brief to the International Criminal Court, exposing the involvement of 122 European Union and Member State officials in crimes against humanity committed against migrants on the Central Mediterranean route (2014–2020).

Since 2017, the ICC Prosecutor has been reporting to the UN Security Council on ongoing crimes against humanity committed against migrants transiting through this route.

In an ICC case filed in 2019, Shatz and Branco demonstrated that these crimes are being perpetrated pursuant to EU policies of mass killings by drowning and mass refoulement by proxy.

In 2023, the United Nations corroborated these findings, concluding that EU officials participate in the commission of these crimes.

Since 2015, more than 25,000 civilians have been killed by drowning, while over 150,000 survivors have been forcibly transferred to Libya, where they were detained, tortured, raped, and enslaved.

To date, no European suspect has been investigated by the ICC Prosecutor.

Several cohorts of the International Law in Action clinic, part of the Master’s program in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action at Sciences Po Paris, contributed to the research phase of this project.

In parallel to the legal filing, we are also launching an online platform that will publicly expose the agencies and officials allegedly implicated in these crimes. Check it out:

➡️ Learn more at crimesagainsthumanity.eu

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 14d

The Channel Crossings project, a 3-year ESCR funded research that investigated the UK response to (irregularised) migration in the English Channel.

You can read the final report here: ⬇️

channelcrossings.org

Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 15d

Spain bets on undocumented people to counter labour shortage and boost growth – Amidst the global rhetoric against undocumented people, Spain stands out as an exception.

Spain bets on migrants to counter labour shortage and boost growth

While the US government is waging an unprecedented deportation campaign against immigrants, combating irregular migration is one of the European Union’s priorities. Amidst the global rhetoric against ...

www.euronews.com

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 15d

Germany and EU partners explore return centres outside the bloc – Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the initiative is in its early stages and requires EU-level legal coordination.

Germany and EU Partners Explore Migrant Return Centers Outside the Bloc

Germany and EU partners are developing plans for migrant “return centers” outside the bloc. Dobrindt said coordination and legal groundwork are needed as Europe debates stricter asylum measures.

www.newsworm.de

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 15d

Frontex eyes new role in EU drone defence – EU ministers gathered on Saturday in Munich for what officials dubbed a “hardline migration summit”. But Europe’s border agency Frontex unexpectedly took centre stage in a new security debate, this time focusing not on migration, but on defence.

Frontex eyes new role in EU drone defence | Euractiv

Frontex's future role will also be discussed during this month's Home Affairs Council, ahead of next year's review of its mandate

www.euractiv.com

Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 15d

Mixed message on Frontex future role in drone detection – Drones used by the EU’s border agency Frontex will only be for border surveillance, the European Commission has stated – after its migration chief Magnus Brunner suggested otherwise.

Mixed message on Frontex future role in drone detection

Drones used by the EU's border agency Frontex will only be for border surveillance, the European Commission has stated — after its migration chief Magnus Brunner suggested otherwise.

euobserver.com

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Reposted by Meron Estefanos

Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.bsky.social · 27d

Today is the 12th anniversary of 369 Eritrean refugees who drowned in Lampedusa (Italy) exactly 12 years ago. As @meron.bsky.social wrote, one of them was 22 years old and was giving birth as she was drowning. Her body was later found with an umbilical cord attached to her baby.

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Reposted by Meron Estefanos

The Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute @dairinstitute.bsky.social · 27d

In this possible futures entry, @meron.bsky.social imagines a future where the families of the disappeared find closure.
www.dair-institute.org/blog/eritrea...

Closure for Families of the Missing

Behind every name is a family torn apart, a void where a loved one should be.

www.dair-institute.org

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · 28d

Remembering the 369 refugees who drowned in Lampedusa exactly 12 years ago today. I can never forget the 22 years old Yohanna who gave birth as she was drowning, her body was later found with an ombilical cord attached to her baby. #NeverForgotten #ForeverInOurHearts #PeopleNotNumbers #Lampedusa

It's a picture of a poem dedicated to the youngest coffin which was marked as number 92. The poem is called RIP angel, what did your mom call you as I can't stand calling you number 92. The poem was written by Selam Kidane

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Reposted by Meron Estefanos

Robbie Corey-Boulet @rcoreyb.bsky.social · Aug 13

"Inside the mine that feeds the tech world - and funds Congo’s rebels" - a Reuters investigation into the operations of Rubaya, which produces 15% of the world's coltan.

Some US entrepreneurs have set their sights on Rubaya as Trump seeks to broker a peace deal. www.reuters.com/investigatio...

Inside the mine that feeds the tech world - and funds Congo’s rebels

M23 insurgents control one of the planet's largest sources of coltan, a mineral prized by high-tech industries. Dislodging them is a focus of peace talks. It won't be easy.

www.reuters.com

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Aug 13

Migrants on deportation list to wear ankle monitors, Greek government says – People in Greece with rejected asylum claims will be required to wear ankle monitors as part of planned measures to speed up deportations, a government official announced Monday.

Migrants on deportation list to wear ankle monitors, Greek government says

Migrants in Greece with rejected asylum claims will soon be required to wear ankle monitors to speed up deportations.

apnews.com

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Aug 13

EU demands Israel amend restrictive new law on NGOs – A group of foreign ministers along with the EU’s foreign policy chief have demanded Israel not crack down on international NGOs working on Palestinian issues.

EU demands Israel amend restrictive new law on NGOs

A group of foreign ministers plus the EU's foreign policy chief demand Israel amend a law that restricts international NGOs working on Palestinian issues.

euobserver.com

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Aug 13

The Sudanese man who took Frontex to court: “Dying at sea is more compassionate than remaining trapped in Libya” – The Court of Justice EU will for the first time summon the European Border Agency for its cooperation with the Libyan coastguard in returning people intercepted at sea to Libya.

El sudanés que ha llevado a Frontex ante la Justicia: “Morir en el mar es más compasivo que seguir atrapado en Libia”

El TSJUE llevará por primera vez a la Agencia europea de fronteras a comparecer por su cooperación con los guardacostas libios en la devolución a Libia de migrantes interceptados en alta mar

www.eldiario.es

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

I was able to talk to these refugees and was able to call to hundreds of their family members to give them the good news that their loved ones are alive. Some refused to believe me until I connected them to their loved ones, within days their flight tickets were paid and were deported back home.

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

The sad thing is that their families believe that their loved ones went missing or are dead. I once had a chance to speak to hundreds of refugees who were detained in Aswan for over 7 years and had no contact with the outside world for over 7 years.

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

Instead they chose to feed these detainees for years, some of them were detained for over 10 years. The craziest thing was that this detainees were never allowed to use a phone, had they been allowed to make one call, their families would have paid for it within a day.

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

Those who agree to be deported, can't be deported until they pay for the flight ticket. I have interviewed thousands of detainees in Egypt and I have paid flight tickets for hundreds of detainees who were in prison for years. It was weird for me to understand why Egypt wouldn't pay $300 USD

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

For almost 20 years now, Egypt would arrest non registered refugees and put them in hundreds of prisons through out the country until they get deported to their home countries. These prisoners had two options, to go back to your country or be in prison for endifinate years.

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

The Egyptian government is funding train rides to Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, which was recently recaptured by the Sudanese Armed Forces from its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Egypt funds free train rides for Sudanese refugees returning home

Sudan has been mired in civil war since April 2023 with the power struggle between the army and the RSF causing an almost nationwide humanitarian crisis.

www.euronews.com

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

We must work with Libyans to stop Putin weaponizing migrants, top EU official says – The EU must remain ready to negotiate with Russia-aligned Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar in order to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from further weaponizing migration, EU Migration Commissioner.

We must work with Libyans to stop Putin weaponizing migrants, top EU official says

EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner tells POLITICO he’s ready to negotiate with Khalifa Haftar, who kicked him out of Benghazi earlier this month.

www.politico.eu

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Meron Estefanos @meron.bsky.social · Jul 23

Over 11 million refugees may lose aid access due to cuts, says UN agency – Up to 11.6 million people are in danger of losing access to humanitarian assistance due to cuts in foreign aid by donor nations, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday [18 July].

Over 11 million refugees may lose aid access due to cuts, says UN agency

Up to 11.6 million refugees are in danger of losing access to humanitarian assistance due to cuts in foreign aid by donor nations, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday.

www.reuters.com

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