A new legal case has been filed with the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing at least 122 European politicians and officials of crimes against humanity related to their migration policies involving Libya and the Mediterranean Sea.

The case targets high-profile figures including former French President Emmanuel Macron, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and other European leaders, with allegations that their policies contributed to the deaths of thousands of migrants.

The lawyers' brief claims that approximately 25,000 asylum seekers have died trying to reach Europe, and around 150,000 survivors have suffered detention, torture, rape, and enslavement in Libyan facilities.

The accusations also encompass responsibility for over 30,000 migrant deaths during their journey from Libya, highlighting severe human rights violations in Libyan detention centers.

This legal action builds on a 2019 ICC investigation into EU migration policies in Libya, which did not identify specific suspects, but now the lawyers claim to have pinpointed individual European officials responsible.

Recent visits by Libyan officials to the EU border agency’s headquarters in Warsaw, involving factions of Libya’s divided government, have been criticized for potentially enabling abuses, as Libyan patrols have been documented engaging in aggressive behavior at sea.

Lawyers argue that ICC laws, originally meant for crimes outside Europe, should now be applied to European nationals implicated in these human rights abuses.

Among the accused are notable figures such as NATO Secretary-General and former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, former European foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini, and former Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri, with detailed online records of their roles.

The case is based on six years of investigation, including interviews with over 70 European officials and confidential documents, asserting that these leaders are accountable for policies leading to widespread suffering and loss of life.

Despite international criticism and calls to stop supporting Libyan forces involved in migrant interception, EU authorities continue cooperation with Libyan officials, claiming their actions aim to protect migrants and curb irregular departures.

The list of accused includes prominent figures such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former Italian Minister Matteo Salvini, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Portuguese officials like Ana Cristina Jorge, António Costa, and Augusto Santos Silva.