Mazara fishermen tell of their captivity in Libya: “We changed 4 prisons, an underground era. They treated us like terrorists”



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“We have changed four prisons in increasingly difficult conditions. We have suffered some humiliations, psychological pressures, but never violenceThey sailed all night, with the arrival scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but the 18 crew members of the two fishing boats from Mazara del Vallo they can finally breathe a sigh of relief after 108 days in prison In the hands of General Cyrenaica’s men, Khalifa haftar. And so the captain of the Medinea, Pietro MarroneLook back on those endless months in the strongman’s prisons Benghazi and go through the most difficult moments of incarceration.

“The last cell, where we spent the night before hearing the news of the release, was dark. The food was brought to us in bowls and it was not good. It was really very complicated, they turned the lights on and off as they pleased, “he said during the first radio contact with his owner. Marco Marrone.

Initially, when the jailers told the 18 men that they would finally return home, the Mazara fishermen could hardly believe it: “Yesterday,” Marrone says, “they came looking for us and a guard told us ‘get ready, we must go.’ The same thing had already happened a month ago, so none of us believed it at this point ”. The captain of the Medinea He then continues his reconstruction of the day: “After the announcement that we would be released, we got ready. We shaved, borrowed some bottles of shampoo, washed, and brought some overalls. Then aboard a bus they took us to ours varcuzze (fishing boats ed). Last night, after recharging the batteries, we started the engines and drove off. Now we are looking forward to going home. “

The fishing boat, along with theAntarcticaIt was last night on the way to Mazara. Arrival is expected around Sunday afternoon. “We thought we wouldn’t make it – Marrone added in the interview with his owner – they were three very heavy months. They made us change four prisons. And one of these to find Underground, in the dark. They passed us food in the dark from a rack and we didn’t even know what it was. ” The voice is tested but firm and breaks only when the owner tells him that the captain’s mother, Rosetta ingargiolaHe fought from the beginning, at 74 he never gave up. At that point the captain gets emotional, but immediately recovers and continues his story: “They have us treated by terrorists – he says – only the barrel was missing. For the rest they humiliated us, we suffered psychological violence ”. And remember that “there was no trial. They kept us in a cage after dividing us. ” Yes, because the Tunisians and the Italians were put in different prisons. “We were only able to hug after 70 days – he says – it was an emotional moment. Cous, we did it out of fright“.

Last night finally the first decent meal. “Only after telling us that the prime minister would arrive Giuseppe Conte they gave us edible food – he says – before we knew what we were eating. Terrible. “And then he says we didn’t even have a change of underwear.” We always used the same things, it was very difficult, I can’t wait to go home. “



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