A delegation of Amnesty International travelled to the island of Lampedusa and the “Village of Solidarity” in the environs of Mineo, in the Catania province, between 29 March and 2 April 2011. Prompted by widespread reports of a humanitarian crisis unfolding on Lampedusa, the delegation undertook research on the situation of thousands of foreign nationals who had reached Italian shores from North Africa in previous weeks.
On 20 April, Amnesty International wrote to the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the Minister of Interior Roberto Maroni to express concern in relation to the findings of the research visit, as well as on the collective summary removal of Tunisian nationals from Lampedusa to Tunis from 7 April onwards, following the signing of an agreement between the Italian and Tunisian authorities.