On Wednesday, 21 May 2025, the trials of Abdulrahman, Samuel (whose trial was postponed on May 5) and another Sudanese teenager took place in Chania, Greece. We had hired a private lawyer to represent them.
Although the lawyer did an excellent job and achieved what could be considered a ‘legal success’, the system failed these boys profoundly—sentencing them to 3 to 4 years in prison for nothing more than being on a boat.
In Abdulrahman’s case, the injustice runs even deeper. Not only did he do nothing wrong, but he may qualify as a victim of human trafficking: he was forced, under threat, to steer the boat while his brother was being held for ransom.
Fortunately, the life sentences all three of them were facing were avoided. But for this, they had to plead guilty. Therefore, the nature of the plea deals remains a serious concern.
Many of their friends, who did not have access to proper legal defense, had been sentenced to 25 years just weeks earlier. On the day of their trial, Samuel, Abdulrahman, and their co-defendant expressed relief and gratitude that their lawyer had successfully negotiated a plea deal.
“I have never seen Samuel so happy before! He had a smile from ear to ear.”
— Samuel’s lawyer, after the hearing
In Greece, people accused of smuggling face extreme sentences. The penalty is multiplied by the number of passengers on board — leading to sentences of 50, 90, or even 400 years. In practice, this means 25 years in prison, with conditional release only after serving at least 15 years.
As part of a plea deal, the prosecution offers a reduced sentence — typically 10 years, with the possibility of release after 4 — which can be further shortened through education or work inside prison.
However, to receive this deal, the accused must plead guilty. No actual trial takes place. No evidence is examined. No witnesses are heard.
We are witnessing a system where plea deals rapidly produce hundreds of ‘guilty’ individuals without trial. People are coerced into accepting these deals and even made to feel grateful for ‘only’ 3 to 4 years — under the threat of far harsher punishment if they go to trial.
At trial, the only question that matters is: did they steer, or help steer, the boat? No one asks why they did it, who they are, or acknowledges that international law prohibits criminalizing them for it.
This is not justice. These laws are the crimes. They must be abolished.