(ANSA) - Rome, January 22 - Migrants and refugees rescued in
the Mediterranean must not return to Libya given the prevalence
of "violent clashes and widespread breaches of human rights" in
the north African county, the UNHCR said Tuesday.
The United Nations refugee agency urged States to "intervene
with urgency to restore effective rescue measures in the
Mediterranean boosting operations of coordinated joint rescue
operations, restoring rapid procedures of disembarkation in safe
ports, and revoking the measures that prevent NGO vessels from
operating".
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has stopped NGO ships from
landing in Italian ports and said rescued migrants must be
returned to Libya.
Salvini on Tuesday rejected the UN refugee agency's call for
rescued migrants not to be returned to Libya because of the
human rights abuses there.
"More landings, more money to the migrant smugglers? My
answer to the UN is NO", he said on Twitter.
Rescued migrants mustn't return to Libya - UNHCR
'Restore effective rescue measures in Med' says refugee agency