The Civil Fleet Podcast

Ben Cowles
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  • Politics

Saving lives at sea is not a crime But for the past few years, European states have treated those brave enough to save refugees from drowning in the Mediterranean as if they were breaking the law. Welcome to The Civil Fleet, a podcast by civilfleet.com that focuses on the NGO refugee rescuers in the central Mediterranean and beyond.

  1. Jul 30

    Episode 91: Titanic profits from Britain's performative cruelty

    In this episode we speak with Toni from Corporate Watch about Titan Airways, a charter airline company making millions from Britain's deportation regime.  She tells us how the firm is generating wealth by tearing families apart, making a killing from every juncture in the cycle of war, and using sport to wash its image.  ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast--- ko-fi.com/civilfleet ---Get in touch--- Twitter: @FleetCivil Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social Instagram: thecivilfleet YouTube: youtube.com/@thecivilfleet info@civilfleet.com civilfleet.com ---Show notes--- Check out Corporate Watch here: corporatewatch.org/  Follow Corporate Watch on BlueSky: @corporatewatch.bsky.social And on Instagram: corporatewatchuk Read Toni's co-authored article on Titan Airways here: https://corporatewatch.org/titan-airways-the-charter-airline-quietly-making-millions-from-deportations/ Read the UN document Ben and Toni mention in the episode: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=30524 For more on Corporate Watch, Air Partner and CarlsonWagonlit, check out episode 40 of The Civil Fleet Podcast. Here's an article about former British Prime Minister praising Italy's return hub deal with Albania: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cvgddpq44qjt. And here's another: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-asylum-seekers-albania-meloni-italy-b2612898.html For more on Deportation Watch, see here: https://uk.deportationwatch.net/en For more on Britain, listen to episodes: 83, 82, 73, 67, 63, 62, 61, 57, 39, 38, 32, 25, 21 and 11. You can sign JCWI's petition calling for an end to the UK and France's 1-in-1-out deal here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-racist-and-cruel-one-in-one-out-deportations/ Toni mentions Gary Stevenson and his YouTube channel, Gary's Economics. If you've somehow not heard of him, check him out here: youtube.com/@garyseconomics Toni references former England footballer and pundit Gary Lineker and the Patriotic Millionaires group calling on the British government to tax them more. Check them out here: https://patrioticmillionaires.org/ According to Flightradar24, July 23, 2026 had the most commercial flights in a single day than any other in history: https://www.newsweek.com/global-air-travel-had-busiest-day-on-record-12245968 Ben mentions No Name Kitchen and Sea-Watch. For more on the former, see episodes 87, 63, 59, 58, 51, 41, and 6, and listen to episodes 90, 70, 65, 43, 22, 7 and 1 for the latter.

  2. Jul 16

    Episode 90: Saving lives under fire

    In this episode we speak with Sea-Watch spokesperson Julia Winkler about the so-called Libyan Coastguard's shooting of the Sea-Watch 5 rescue ship in May.  She tells us how, following the horrific attack, the Italian authorities absurdly put the ship's captain under investigation.  Julia also tells us how the rescuers hope to put legal pressure on the German government to protect Sea-Watch's activists from the Libyan gunmen in the future.  ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast--- ko-fi.com/civilfleet ---Get in touch--- Twitter: @FleetCivil Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social Instagram: thecivilfleet YouTube: youtube.com/@thecivilfleet info@civilfleet.com civilfleet.com ---Show notes--- For more on Sea-Watch, visit: sea-watch.org/en Follow Sea-Watch on BlueSky: @en.sea-watch.org Instagram: seawatchcrew Also, check out episodes 70, 65, 43, 22, 7 and 1 of The Civil Fleet Podcast for more on Sea-Watch See the Justice Fleet's list of Libyan Coastguard attacks on activists rescuers here: https://justice-fleet.org/en/incidents  For more on Captain Support Network, see here: captainsupport.net Listen to episode 80 to hear about the Libyan Coastguard's attack on the SOS Mediterranee  Julia mentions a previous episode of The Civil Fleet Podcast with Mustafa, Bairbre and Louise from Mataris Sudan Solidarity Committee and 50 Out Of Many. Listen to episode 85 for that.  Check out episodes 53 and 35 to hear from people who faced criminal charges for allegedly captaining a refugee boat. For a deeper dive on the Libyan Coastguards, check out episode 86 with Frey Lindsay from State Watch For more on the Iuventa case, listen to episodes 54, 24, and 2 For more on Netflix's 23,000 Lives, see here: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81660283

  3. May 2

    Episode 89: Intercepted by the Israeli Navy

    In this episode, we speak with Esmé, an activist and chef with the Global Sumud Flotilla.    She tells us about the activist group's humanitarian mission to Gaza, and what she saw during the Israeli navy's raid on the flotilla in international waters off Greece.    She also speaks on the kidnapping of her fellow activists and the beatings they were subjected on an Israeli ship.    ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast---   ko-fi.com/civilfleet   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social   Instagram: thecivilfleet   YouTube: youtube.com/@thecivilfleet   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com   ---Show notes---   For more on the Global Sumud Flotilla, see: globalsumudflotilla.org You can track the progress of the GSF ships here: globalsumudflotilla.org/tracker   Follow GSF on social media: Instagram: globalsumudflotilla on Twitter: @gbsumudflotilla   Read about GSF on The Civil Fleet: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Global-Sumud-Flotilla/   Check out episode 81 of The Civil Fleet Podcast with journalist Lorenzo D'Agostino to hear how last year's GSF mission ended when the crew were kidnapped by the IDF, taken to an Israeli prison and tortured.    For more The Civil Fleet Podcast episodes on Greece, see episodes 68, 60, 56, 53, 52, 50, 35, 34, 28, 26, 18, 9 and 4   For more on the Open Arms rescue ship, check out episodes 30 and 13

  4. Apr 11

    Episode 88: Fighting and beating Frontex in Court

    In this episode we speak with Iftach Cohen, co-founder of Front-LEX, a nonprofit legal organisation challenging EU border violence in court.     Iftach is going to tell us about the Alaa Hamoudi case, a Syrian man who was pushed back from Greece to Turkey by the Greek Coastguards in 2020, right under the eyes of the European Border and Coastguard agency, Frontex.    He tell us how Front-LEX won this case for Hamoudi at the EU's top court in January, and explains why this landmark legal victory should "benefit all future victims of Frontex's activities, and bring to an end its de facto immunity" in court.    Iftach will also tell us about a Frontex's report on the Greek government using Afghan paramilitaries to push people back to Turkey   ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast---   ko-fi.com/civilfleet   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social   Instagram: thecivilfleet   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com   ---Show notes---   For more on Front-Lex, see: front-lex.eu And follow them on BlueSky: front_lex Read Front-Lex's article on the Alaa Hamoudi case: https://front-lex.eu/the-court-of-justice-of-the-european-union-delivers-a-first-legal-victory-in-a-pushback-case-against-frontex-a-landmark-judgment-in-hamoudi-v-frontex/ For more on former Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri, and why he's being investigated for crimes against humanity, read this report in Le Monde:  http://lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2026/03/25/why-former-frontex-chief-fabrice-leggeri-is-under-investigation-for-complicity-in-crimes-against-humanity_6751795_7.html  For more on Frontex, see episodes 76, 68, 54, 52, 50, 34, 31, 23, 15, 7 and 1 of The Civil Fleet Podcast.  For more on the Pylos shipwreck, see episodes 60 and 52 (the latter of which has Lighthouse Reports journalist Bashar Deeb) Watch Bashar Deeb's report on Hamoudi's case, here: youtube.com/watch?v=Td5e9Y7U6ZI Check out episodes 3, 4, 9, 16, 25, 26, 28, 35, 53, and 56 for more on Greece For more on Refugees in Libya, see episodes: 79 and 29. You can read Frontex's redacted report on the pushback case in Greece involving Afghan paramilitaries on The Civil Fleet's website, in the post about this article.  The quote attributed to the late Tony Benn is: "The way the government treats refugees is very instructive because it shows you how they would treat the rest of us if they thought they could get away with it." Apparently, it was Scottish journalist Neal Ascherson who said it in 1996: "The way a state treats its aliens is the way it would treat its own subjects if it dared."  You can read that here: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/if-we-teach-children-morality-what-will-we-say-about-the-arms-trade-1325052.html

  5. Mar 21

    Episode 87: Border violence in Bulgaria

    In this episode we speak with Ame, Alegro, Mirka and Ruben about No Name Kitchen's solidarity activism with people on the move in Bulgaria.  They tell us about the abuses people on the move face inside the country, the terrible conditions of its migrant detention centres, and how the border guards allowed three Egyptian boys to freeze to death in December 2024.  ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast---   ko-fi.com/civilfleet   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social   Instagram: thecivilfleet   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com   ---Show notes--- For more on No Name Kitchen, see their website here: nonamekitchen.org   Follow NNK on Instagram: @no_name_kitchen And listen to episodes 63, 59, 58, 51, 41, and 6 of The Civil Fleet Podcast. We briefly mention the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in this episode. For more on that, check out episode 6.  Read No Name Kitchen's report on the three Egyptian boys who froze to death at the Bulgarian border here: https://bloodyborders.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NNK_Frozen-Lives_25-01-20_2.pdf

  6. Feb 12

    Episode 86: What is the Libyan Coastguard?

    In this episode, we speak with Frey Lindsay, a journalist with the transparency and civil liberties organisation Statewatch.    He tells us how the so-called Libyan Coastguard is far from a unified organisation but is, in fact, an amalgamation of groups with different structures and vying allegiances.  Frey also tells us about a leaked EU document, obtained by Statewatch recently, that proposes the bloc outsource its SAR operations in the Mediterranean to non-European countries and have them take the rescued to non-EU ports.  ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast---   ko-fi.com/civilfleet   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social   Instagram: thecivilfleet   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com   ---Show notes---   Follow Frey Lindsay on BlueSky: @freylindsay.bsky.social You can read Frey's InfoMigrants article on the Libyan Coastguards here: https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/67224/the-libyan-coast-guard--explained For more on Statewatch, check out: statewatch.org Follow them on Bluesky: @statewatch.bsky.social Check out Statewatch's Outsourcing Borders project: statewatch.org/outsourcing-borders-monitoring-eu-externalisation-policy And sign up to their newsletter here: statewatch.org/outsourcing-borders-monitoring-eu-externalisation-policy/mailing-list/ Frey mentions the Ocean Viking and SOS Mediterranee. For more on them, check out episodes episode 75 and 80 of The Civil Fleet Podcast For more on Libya and the so-called Libya Coastguard, listen to episodes 80, 79, 75, 65m 55, 52, 43, 29, 23, 19, 15, 10, 7 and 1 Frey mentions Lighthouse Reports. Check them out here: lighthousereports.com. And listen to episodes 52 and 34 For more on Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni meeting with Libyan warlord General Khalifa Haftar, see this report from InfoMigrants: https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/48746/italylibya-meloni-meets-haftar-migration-a-priority   For more on the TBZ brigade and General Haftar's alleged links to human trafficking, see this report in Spiegal International: https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/more-like-kidnapping-a-brutal-libyan-militia-helps-europe-keep-migrants-at-bay-a-0c68d2b5-37bd-4267-b98c-8279a059e2bc    For more on the EU's plans for an MRCC in eastern Libya, read this Statewatch report: https://www.statewatch.org/news/2026/january/eu-to-increase-lethal-migration-cooperation-with-libya/    For more on the Piantedosi Decree, listen to episodes 84, 71 and 66 Check out this 2018 report on the EU's 'disembarkation platforms' idea: https://www.politico.eu/article/regional-disembarkation-platforms-eu-leaders-consider-camps-outside-bloc-to-process-refugees/  And check out The Civil Fleet's new exclusive story (that Ben mentions at the beginning and end of the episode) here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/at-least-14-people-died-in-home-office-asylum-seeker-accommodation-in-first-six-months-of-2025/

  7. 12/17/2025

    Episode 85: Greece's criminalisation of Sudanese refugees

    In this episode, we speak with Mustafa, Bairbre and Louise about the treatment of Sudanese refugees in Greece.    Mustafa tells us about the revolution and ongoing proxy war in Sudan. He'll also tell us why he had to flee the country, and the Kafkaesque situation he found himself in after seeking asylum in Greece.    Louise and Bairbre tell us more about the situation for people on the move in Greece, how refugees (including children) are being criminalised and sentenced to decades (and sometimes hundreds of years!) in prison for allegedly captaining a boat across the sea or driving a car across the border.    We'll also hear about the situation inside Greece's migrant detention camps, and how the solidarity groups Mataris Sudan Solidarity Committee and 50 Out Of Many are organising with criminalised and imprisoned Sudanese refugees.    ---Support The Civil Fleet Podcast---   ko-fi.com/civilfleet   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social   Instagram: thecivilfleet   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com   ---Show notes---   Don't know much about the conflict in Sudan? See this video from Al Jazeera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL0nz1ZeX_k For more on the EU's past links with the RSF, see here: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/19/what-is-europes-role-in-sudans-refugee-crisis And here: https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/europe-shouldnt-rely-upon-the-rsf-militia-on-immigration/ Here is the report Ben mentions called Border Control from Hell: data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/55954 For more on UK arms sales to Sudan and reports that the RSF is using UK-made weapons, see this October 2025 report by the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/oct/28/uk-military-equipment-rapid-support-forces-rsf-militia-accused-genocide-found-sudan-united-nations  And read this response from Amnesty International UK: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-arms-licensing-system-indefensible-british-linked-weapons-used-sudan  For more on Mataris Sudan Solidarity Committee, follow them on Intsa: mataris_ssc Follow 50 Out of Many on Instagram, too: 50outofmany Find Louise's court drawings on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/truuuuuuuuuuuuc/ For more The Civil Fleet Podcast episodes on Greece, see episodes 68, 60, 56, 53, 52, 50, 35, 34, 28, 26, 18, 9 and 4 In episode 35, we hear from Hanad Abdi Mohammad, a Somalian (not Ethiopian as Ben said in this episode!) refugee who was sentenced to 142 years behind bars in Greece for supposedly captaining a boat across the Aegean For more on the El Fasher massacre, read this Al Jazeera report: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/29/massacre-in-el-fasher-whats-happening-in-sudan-right-now  For more on the Dublin Agreement, check out this explainer video by The Guardian newspaper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ooecJWPcAY&t=28s&ab_channel=TheGuardian For more on Ireland's new family reunification rules, read this report in the Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2025/11/26/what-are-the-new-family-reunification-rules-for-migrant-workers/ Read Amnesty International's condemnation of the Greek government's decision to suspend asylum claims for people from North Africa in July 2025 here: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/greece-new-asylum-and-return-proposals-flagrantly-breach-international-law-and-punishes-people-seeking-protection/  For more on conditions in Greece's prisons, see this report by the Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee: https://www.coe.int/en/web/cpt/-/council-of-europe-anti-torture-committee-cpt-returns-to-greece-for-high-level-talks-on-prison-reform And read about their 2019 visit here: https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/greece-reforming-prison-system-and-ending-police-ill-treatment-are-urgent-priorities-says-cpt "The ultimate, hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently," wrote the late, great David Graeber... Of course, Ben totally butchers this at the end of the episode.

  8. 12/09/2025

    Episode 84: Doctors Without Borders returns to the Mediterranean

    In this episode, we speak with Juan Matias Gil, a search-and-rescue representative for Doctors Without Borders (MSF).   He tells us how the Italian government made it impossible for the medical charity to use its Geo Barents rescue ship, and about the Oyvon — MSF's new, smaller, faster rescue vessel.    He also tells us about the first rescue mission aboard the Oyvon. ---Support---   ko-fi.com/civilfleet   ---Get in touch---   Twitter: @FleetCivil   Mastodon: @civilfleet@kolektiva.social   Bluesky: @thecivilfleet.bsky.social   Instagram: thecivilfleet   info@civilfleet.com   civilfleet.com   ---Show notes---   For more on MSF, visit: msf.org.uk   Follow MSF's rescue missions on Twitter here: @MSFSea For more on their former ship, the Geo Barents, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Geo-Barents   AND, check out episode 14 of The Civil Fleet Podcast, with the ship's search-and-rescue team leader Riccardo Gatti and midwife Kira Smith   For more on the Piantedosi Decree, listen to episodes 71 and 66   Want to hear how an out-of-date carton of jam was one of the reasons why one of the Aita Mari rescue ship was blocked from leaving port? Listen to episode 12.    OR, read this interview with Iñigo Mijangos, chairman of Humanitarian Maritime Rescue (SMH), teh charity which operates the Ait Mari: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/06/10/europe-will-continue-with-its-border-control-policies-and-we-will-continue-fighting-for-human-rights/   For more on the Sea-Watch 4 being detained for having too many life-jackets, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/europes-criminalisation-of-ngo-refugee-rescuers-reaches-another-peak-after-fifth-ship-detained-in-italy/    For more on the EU's funding of the Libyan Coastguards despite knowing about its human rights abuses, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2021/03/05/eu-urged-to-continue-support-for-libyan-coastguard-in-leaked-document/

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About

Saving lives at sea is not a crime But for the past few years, European states have treated those brave enough to save refugees from drowning in the Mediterranean as if they were breaking the law. Welcome to The Civil Fleet, a podcast by civilfleet.com that focuses on the NGO refugee rescuers in the central Mediterranean and beyond.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Cowles
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    91
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    2021 ©
  • Show Website
    The Civil Fleet Podcast