The U.N. refugee agency on Tuesday criticized the Italian navy for allegedly using excessive force in its treatment of Eritrean migrants two weeks ago at sea.
The 82 migrants had been traveling in a boat toward Italy for four days when they were intercepted on July 1 by the Italian navy ship in the Mediterranean and then transferred to a Libyan vessel.
Having since interviewed the migrants in a Libyan detention center, the High Commissioner for Refugees said the navy apparently made no attempt to determine whether the migrants should have refugee rights, including protection by Italy, and then forcibly transferred them into to Libyan custody.
"During interviews UNHCR heard disturbing accounts alleging that force was used by Italian personnel during the transfer to the Libyan vessel," agency spokesman Ron Redmond said. At least six of the refugees needed medical attention after the encounter, he said.
He said the migrants also reported having their documents seized by the Italians and not yet returned.
Italy's Interior Ministry said it had no comment on UNHCR's allegations.
Italy reached agreement with Libya in May to return any migrants caught after having embarked from the North African country for Italian shores.
Since then, Redmond said, at least 900 people trying to reach Italy by sea have been sent to other countries, mainly to Libya, despite an international principle dictating against sending refugees to places where they may face danger.
UNHCR said the new Italian policy was worrying because Libya lacks an asylum system that could properly screen refugees and provide adequate protection.
It also said, however, that it was concerned about how the navy was implementing the policy, after receiving the reports from Eritreans involved in the July 1 interception off the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Redmond said 76 of the 82 migrants, including women and children, were from Eritrea, and many would have qualified as refugees.
"Based on UNHCR's assessment of the situation in Eritrea and our interviews with the people themselves, it is clear that a significant number from this group are in need of international protection," he said.
Eritrean asylum-seekers forcibly returned from abroad have been detained on arrival in their home country, according to Amnesty International, which also says the Eritrean government has banned independent journalism, opposition parties, unregistered religious organizations and virtually all civil society activity.
Amnesty says thousands of political prisoners have been detained for years in harsh conditions, and that close to half the population is undernourished because of food shortages.
"Those interviewed spoke of their distress after four days at sea, and said that the Italian navy did not offer them any food during the 12-hour operation to return them to Libya," the U.N. agency spokesman said.
UNHCR had sent a letter to the Italian government requesting information on the treatment of people returned to Libya and asking it respect international norms.
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Associated Press Writer Marta Falconi contributed from Rome.
