LESBOS, GREECE, 15 January 2026: HIAS Greece welcomes the acquittal of the Dutch volunteer, whom HIAS represented, as well as the remaining 23 accused rescuers and volunteers, by the competent criminal court, in a case that has been widely criticized internationally as a paradigmatic example of the criminalization of solidarity.
HIAS client is a Dutch national with decades of volunteer service in the fields of energy, environmental protection, and maritime search and rescue. He was prosecuted solely due to his involvement in humanitarian activities supporting refugees and asylum seekers on the island of Lesvos in 2018. His actions were limited to providing first aid, water, and basic relief items to people who had survived shipwrecks or were in immediate danger at sea.
Despite the complete lack of evidence, he faced serious felony charges, including human smuggling, participation in a criminal organization, and alleged financial crimes. It is recalled that the misdemeanor part of the same criminal file—including charges such as espionage and facilitating a criminal organization—had already resulted in the full acquittal of all defendants.
Today’s acquittal confirms that humanitarian assistance is not a crime and vindicates those who endured a prolonged and burdensome criminal process for more than seven years. This case has been strongly criticized by international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, as an attempt to criminalize life-saving humanitarian action.
HIAS Greece emphasizes that this decision sends a powerful message in defense of the rule of law, the protection of human life, and the essential role of civil society actors who act in accordance with humanitarian principles and international law.
