The ADZ executive committee described the arrests as “illegitimate”, after the Italian officials refused docking permission to the Cap Anamur, a German-based non-governmental organisation that assists asylum seekers at sea.

ADZ has aligned itself with co-President of the Green/EFA group in the European Parliament, Monica Frassoni, who called the arrests “unacceptable”. Ms Frassoni said “accusing Bierdel and Schmidt of aiding illegal immigration is ridiculous.”

ADZ strongly condemned this behaviour by the Italian officials, “whose migration policy is bent on fortifying European borders against asylum seekers”.

“The international stand-off between Italy and the Cap Anamur organisation showed a true lack of solidarity from the Italian officials towards the plight of asylum seekers who cross the treacherous Mediterranean route in rough seas.

“The Sudanese have no government and are fleeing the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan,” ADZ said.

Sicilian witnesses claimed that some of the passengers were so desperate during the odyssey they had begun threatening to jump into the sea. “This shows how inconsiderate the Italian officials have been towards the plight of these asylum seekers,” ADZ concluded.