Press release
IUVENTA – JUGEND RETTET Takes First Legal Steps to Claim Damages

Today, the Palermo court (Tribunale Ordinario di Palermo) appointed experts to assess the extensive damage sustained by the rescue ship IUVENTA during its years-long seizure by Italian authorities from August 2017 to June 2024. The expert findings, expected in spring 2025, will be a key step in determining whether compensation will be paid or if further legal disputes are inevitable.

The tables are turning in a long fight for justice
Following the acquittal of four IUVENTA crew members in April 2024 – marking the conclusion of the longest and costliest criminal trial ever conducted against sea rescue organisations – the focus now shifts to the port authority of Trapani and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, led by Matteo Salvini.

The organisation Jugend rettet, owner of the IUVENTA, accuses the Italian authorities of a severe breach of duty of care. Years of neglect and lack of security measures during the ship’s seizure resulted in looting, significant damage, and near-total destruction. An expert report from 2022 had already led the Trapani court handling the crew’s criminal case to order the ship’s restoration to its ‘pre-seizure’ condition. However, despite this de facto recognition of the breach of the duty of custody, only minimal stabilisation measures were carried out to prevent the vessel from sinking, while full repairs were refused.

“Those responsible must now be held accountable”
Benedikt Funke, representative of Jugend rettet, explains: “Our goal is to obtain the compensation payments that would be necessary to make the rescue ship IUVENTA operational again”

Dariush Beigui, former defendant in the iuventa-crew trial, adds: “Our ship became a focal point for political and media attacks against sea rescue. The seizure was staged as a ‘strike against sea taxis’ and fed into baseless conspiracy theories. With our acquittal, we dismantled those accusations. Now, we are fighting to ensure that those responsible for the destruction of the ship are held accountable.”

Avv. Luca Saltalamacchia: “We initiated this proceeding to ascertain the damage caused to the vessel due to the lack of maintenance by those who were obliged to do it. The IUVENTA suffered an unjust seizure, ordered as part of a criminal trial that ended in an acquittal, and finally had the IUVENTA returned after 7 years in a state that prevents its use. All of this constitutes a great injustice”

Any obstruction of sea rescue operations must be exposed as unjust and unlawful!
The IUVENTA case is exemplary for the attacks on sea rescue organisations by Italian authorities – now the IUVENTA case could also mark a further milestone in the legal reappraisal of this systematic obstruction of solidarity and support of people on the move.

Significantly, the name of Matteo Salvini also appears in this potentially symbolic trial – and once again he is on the side of the dock, on which he has to take responsibility for violations and breaches of the law. Just like in the ‘Open Arms Trial’, where in a few days’ time the verdict will be passed against him for kidnapping and refusing to fulfil his duties.