The El Hiblu 3 have been robbed of their youth and innocence when they were arrested in almost six years ago upon their arrival in Malta, the coalition in support of the three young men said Wednesday, in a fresh call for their charges to be dropped.

Abdalla, Amara and Kader, were among some 108 migrants who were rescued at sea by the Turkish oil tanker in late March 2019. They allegedly revolted against being taken back to Libya and through translation and interpretation; they forced the ship to come to Malta instead.

The three were 15, 16 and 19 years old at the time and pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorist activities, hijacking a ship, threatening crew and several other serious offences.

On Wednesday, another hearing of the case of the El Hiblu 3 took place.

The EH3’s lawyers had made arguments during previous oral submissions to demonstrate that some of the charges could not stand since they took place outside the jurisdiction of Malta.

Despite arguments of their lawyer, the Court of Criminal Appeal denied this appeal. As a result, the case will continue to trial.

At a press conference in front of the Court in Valletta, the coalition working for their freedom said that the three have spent 2,127 days in legal limbo, criminalised for five years, nine months and 26 days.

It expressed solidarity with the three, and called on the Attorney General and government to drop the charges immediately.

Director at Kopin Wiliam Grech said that in two months, it will mark six years since the three were arrested.

“Let us remember that at the time, they were 15, 16 and 19, and they had to wait seven months to be released on bail. The eventual trial is still to start five years later in our justice system, but they have been living in legal limbo for far too long,” Grech said.

He continued that the three have been unable to live a normal life and demanded that the “wrongful” charges are dropped.

“It is never too late to right a grave injustice,” Grech said.

Professor and activist Maria Pisani said that for six years, the El Hiblu 3 have lived in an “existential” limbo, where it is impossible for them to see a future, as their lives have been suspended.

Pisani said that the three cannot afford to hope, and think about their future, as it is “dark and scary.”

She said that the coalition will continue to support the three, as “they deserve to be supported and see a crack of light.”

Director at the African Media Association Malta Regine Psaila reminded the El Hiblu 3 that they will continue receiving support, prayers and action from the coalition, and all the action will gradually push towards justice.

“Our fight for hope will continue,” Psaila said, adding that the three cannot think about their future because they are stuck.

A representative for the rescue hotline for people crossing the Mediterranean sea Alarm Phone said that the independent project has watched people die at sea while on the move from countries such as Libya to EU countries.

In the coasts of Malta and Italy, Alarm Phone sees “regular” instances of illegal pushbacks back to “the hell of Libya” and its detention camps.

He said that the El Hiblu 3 prevented an illegal pushback peacefully, by interpretation.

“We should celebrate them as heroes, and appreciate what they did, and not punish them. This is a big injustice, and charges must be dropped immediately,” he said.

President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca also spoke in her role as President of the Mediterranean Children’s Movement, and said that the three are innocent, and they were robbed of this innocence when, as children, they were arrested and charged with serious and unjust accusations.

She said they were robbed of their youth and called for the charges against them to be withdrawn.

Coleiro Preca said that the three do not have family in Malta supporting them, but they have the coalition to continue maintaining their innocence until they are freed.

“They saved lives because they knew English, were asked to translate, and ended up being charged with the worst of crimes,” Coleiro Preca said.

She said that instead of celebrating them as defenders of human rights by preventing immigrants to be sent back to Libya’s detention camps, Malta stole their youth and their aspirations for the future.

Coleiro Preca called on authorities to shoulder the responsibility and free the El Hiblu 3. She said that in such cases where youth are involved, it is civil society’s duty to ensure their fundamental rights are prioritised.

“I will keep defending them until they are freed, and I will keep defending the rights of children wherever they come from,” she said.