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Human rights organizations and several personalities support the Spanish journalist, Helena Maleno, accused of being involved in facilitating illegal immigration, believing that she is helping migrants enter the Spanish territory. The 47-year-old activist is to be heard, Wednesday by the judge in Tangier, reports AFP.
Helena Maleno has for several years been able to locate migrants in difficulty off the coast of Spain. She has been living in the northern city for about fifteen years and works for the Caminando Fronteras association.
«We totally support Helena Maleno Garzon», says a petition signed by some 200 personalities, including actor Javier Bardem and writer Almudena Grandes, to «defend the right to life», and against «the criminalization» of Maleno's work.
Amnesty International says it is following the case with «great concern». For its part, the Catholic organization Caritas tries to mediate with the Moroccan authorities.
According to Miguel Jesus Zea, sea rescue manager for the Almeria area (Spain), contacted by AFP, Helena Maleno has helped «at least 10,000 people» on the Spanish mainland.
The Spanish journalist told AFP yesterday that she welcomed this momentum of solidarity, because finally, «everyone began to talk about the right to life. Europe wants to show us that controlling migration is more important, but it's not true», she said, adding that : «We have the means to stop all these deaths.»
