The Smuggling Narative

⚡Get to know the Captain Support network and examples of resistance to the criminalization of migration! ⚡

The European migration regime is criminalizing thousands of migrants and no one is noticing! Whether in Greece, Italy, the Spanish state, Central Europe or North and West African countries, migrants are systematically accused of human smuggling, sentenced and imprisoned. Their so-called crimes: they steered a boat, drove a car or took responsibility in important situations on the journey, held a compass or translated into different languages. This is enough to land them in prison as smugglers.

The consequences are far-reaching: thousands of migrants are sitting in European, as well as West and North African prisons, usually without access to adequate legal assistance or any form of
support. But criminalization does not only affect those who face prison sentences and fines; it affects entire communities in countries of origin. E.g. in Senegal, parents were punished for helping to finance their children‘s escape. It is a barely visible aspect of the European migration regime, but it has fatal consequences. It is another aspect that drives people to take increasingly dangerous routes to escape state criminalization.

However, migrant communities and activists are organizing together against escalating criminalization and creating resources to support those affected legally and with information. The Captain
Support Network is one of them: it is a transnational network of solidarity with those who are criminalized for enabling freedom of movement.

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On the panel, people from different regions of the Captain Support network will discuss criminalization along different routes, take up examples and report on their work.

The event will be held in English with translation into German.