ITALY’S far-right government is causing further harm to already traumatised people, human rights campaigners said today as 250 people aboard two civilian-operated rescue ships waited for the fourth day for their rights to be respected.

The Humanity 1 and Geo Barents, which saved the lives of 180 and 576 people respectively in the central Mediterranean between October 23 and 29, received permission on Saturday to dock in the Sicilian port of Catania.

However, the authorities only allowed women, children and those deemed to be sick or injured to come ashore.