African migrants rejected by Italy in a standoff with the European Union on Aug. 15, said they had been held by smugglers for up to two years in Libya and many had been beaten, tortured and raped, the UN said on Tuesday.
The 150 migrants, mainly Eritreans and Somalis, were rescued in the Mediterranean but waited 10 days while
Italy’s anti-immigrant government refused to let them disembark, until Ireland, Albania and the Vatican
agreed to accept them.
A further 27 unaccompanied minors and 13 people needing urgent hospital treatment had earlier been allowed ashore in Italy, whose government had threatened to cut funds to the European Union unless other states took in the migrants.
The UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said its staff had gathered testimony from the migrants.
All were malnourished and exhausted and said they had been held against their will in Libya…
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