After the Greece Boat Tragedy: UN Urges Action Against Human Smugglers

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jeremy Lawrence, called on the international community on Friday to take strong action against human smugglers and traffickers, following the death of at least 78 migrants in a shipwreck off the coast of Greece. He stated in Geneva, "What happened on Wednesday reinforces the need to track down human smugglers and traffickers and ensure they are brought to justice." He added, "The High Commissioner reiterated his call for countries to open more legal migration channels, enhance the sharing of responsibility, and ensure the necessary arrangements are made to swiftly and safely accommodate all those rescued at sea, while providing independent monitoring and oversight of migration policies and practices." A Greek shipping ministry official announced the arrest of nine individuals in connection with the sinking of the ship. According to data published by the International Organization for Migration, around 3,800 people lost their lives on migration routes in the Middle East and North Africa last year, marking the highest number recorded since 2017.