Sean Binder's trial to start tomorrow (10th Jan 2023)

Beta Ray Bill

Quick recap -

A Kerry lad, he went to Greece in 2017 to volunteer with an NGO (Emergency Response Centre) that aimed to rescue people off the island of Lesbos.

In 2018 he was charged along with 23 volunteers for a whole bunch of alleged crimes (Basically people smuggling)

Amnesty International have said this is a rubbish trial and that he and the 23 others should be released and the case dropped.

He was arrested and released and then arrested again a few months later and held for 100 days.

It's a really strange case to me, this was clearly humanitarian work, but it would seem Greece did not want anyone helping migrants in anyway shape or form bar official Greek government departments.

I hope he gets off, seems like a total sham trial for a western/European country

https://www.thejournal.ie/sean-binder-kerry-man-facing-trial-people-smuggling-greece-5963726-Jan2023/

BattleCorp

Was he part of the crew where Sara Mardini was arrested?

If anyone is interested in her story, she's a central character in the movie below.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8745676/

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086166#Comment_120086166

So a case of Binder's (boat) full of women...

joseywhales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278849/sean-binders-trial-to-start-tomorrow-10th-jan-2023

Bizarre to me that he could even be detained pre trial for what is clearly not a crime. It's not a crime to help someone in your capacity as a volunteer for an NGO. If they have a problem arrest the head of the NGO and expell then.

It's really dark at it's root though, that you can be punished for helping someone in need, that you must let them suffer even if you can and want to help them, like wtf.

xxxxxxl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087808#Comment_120087808

Helping them would be to return them to the country of origin after giving medical assistance. It's not in an NGO's remit to facilitate asylum claims. They would have been closer to the country of origin than going to a 3rd country. They are actively facilitating people smuggling. It's why they are in the area in the first place. It's not a law of the sea like responding to a ship in trouble via a distress call. It's rumoured the NGO's are in contact with the smugglers and know where to show up.

joseywhales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087891#Comment_120087891

I mean I can only go on the article that I read above. In it he details waiting around and providing medical assistance to migrants coming to lesbos. You are right that the NGO does not facilitate asylum claims, did he facilitate asylum claims? Its not his problem what the Greeks decide to do with the migrants, his remit was search and rescue, that's all he did by the looks of it, he is not responsible to return them to their point of origin, surely that's up to the Greek authorities if that's what they want to do. What exactly did he do wrong here? Save a few lives?

xxxxxxl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088405#Comment_120088405

One of the issues And I can be corrected. Non of the med is International waters. So it's up to the various coast guards and navy's to supply aid to those in trouble. I Don't think these vessels can legally operate in said waters without jurisdictions giving permission. And Even then one nation giving the green light from the Non EU side does not allow the NGO ships to transport from their waters to EU nations waters. That's my understanding open to correction. So If Greece for example labels this people trafficking that's their right. They could even potentially labels the NGO vessels as Pirates operating without permission. That's a whole other kettle of fish.

AlanG

it will be interesting to see the prosecution case in this. So far there is only one side to the story in irish media so it is hard to see why he should be on trial at all.

What he says he did seems very clear cut as he was on a beach and the people were already in Greece. It is a more grey area if someone is helping people illegally enter Greece. Where is the line of different between an NGO staff member who is being paid and a people smuggler? It is simply down to motivation and the source of funds.

AlanG

most charges dropped - looks like it was a complete sham alright, no effort to build a case, just working to intimidate NGOs.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/0113/1346408-sean-binder-greece/

Freight bandit

I would have hoped they made an example of him.what the locals have had to endure on Lesvos Island can only be described as a nightmare.Churches vandalised and defecated in,centuries old olive trees cut down,sheep slaughtered,dogs poisoned,property stolen and people attacked....hes no hero

joseywhales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120104161#Comment_120104161

Why is he responsible for all of these alleged abuses? From what I'm seeing he just tried to help some people. If there are bigger problems at play, if the Greek authorities let down their citizens, it's a hardly his fault.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278849/sean-binders-trial-to-start-tomorrow-10th-jan-2023

A kerry lad but a German citizen as far as I know

xxxxxxl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110441#Comment_120110441

As far as I can see this is not a law of the sea issue it's NGO's encouraging people smuggling. The Med is not international waters IIRC. It's up to local sea fleets to deal with it. NGO'S do not have any authority here. At all. Again word on the ground is there talking to the smugglers to rescue their cargo.

Freight bandit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110441#Comment_120110441

He's part of the problem.Theres been a host of politicians and journalists rowing out behind this fella...but no one tells the locals on that islands story too busy trying to paint this grifter as some kind of humantitarian hero.Ive friends on that island so I see a lot of what happened through Facebook. I've no doubt he was involved in some shady practices...I can remember seeing a video of the NGOs marching around Moira Town smiling smugly at the locals who were calling them out on it...

joseywhales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110716#Comment_120110716

I am glad that facebook shares, guilt by association and smiling mean absolutely nothing in the court of law. I'm sorry but I'll have to see some actual evidence specifically related to Sean Binder before I make conclusions like this "I've no doubt he was involved in some shady practices" or do you believe in punishing people for simply associating with an NGO?

Freight bandit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120117568#Comment_120117568

Even If he wasn't these NGOS are a pull factor...they dont give a fiddlers what they inflict on locals or on Europe as a whole. Woke cabbages

Beta Ray Bill

It's such a strange story

Clearly two trains of of thought:

1: The NGO's are in complicit the people smuggling and hence part of the problem.

2: The NGO's are trying to do good work but the Greek government is has no time for them.

I'm glad most of the charges are dropped, that being said, if it were me... after the first slap on the wrist I'd not have done it again.