CRIMINALISATION British coastguard blocks lifeboat from rescuing migrants in Mediterranean At the end of May, British coastguard officials blocked a lifeboat from rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean, after it saved 85 people at sea off the north African coast on 29 May. Italian authorities gave the crew permission to take the rescued migrants to Lampedusa, where they were disembarked. Two days later, the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency sent the charity a prohibition notice preventing the boat from going back to sea, citing concerns over the boat’s certification. Greece: UN expert denounces criminalisation of solidarity with migrants During her visit to Greece in June, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, expressed concerns over the criminalisation of and smear campaigns against human rights activists who act in solidarity with migrants in need. This includes migrants themselves, who face particularly heightened risks when engaging in human rights work. UN expert urged Greek authorities to place human rights and support for its defenders at the heart of migration policies.