The UN denounced the Italian government's proposal to close the ports to the migrants' rescue boats

A proposal for a decree formalizing the Italian ports closed to aid groups helping migrants at sea It violates international law, said Sunday United Nations human rights investigators to the Italian authorities.

The decree seems to be "a new political attempt to penalize search and rescue operations"What"further aggravates the climate of hostility and xenophobia towards migrants", the investigators said in a letter to the Italian government.

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a strict populist, has promised the decree ahead of this week's European elections, during which the nationalist and anti-immigration parties hope to significantly increase their presence in the European Parliament.

The letter from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that the announced measures would violate the human rights of migrants, enshrined in the United Nations conventions. Italy, the letter affirmed, is obliged to help migrants in danger and can not prevent others from doing so..

Salvini has closed the ports to NGOs that rescue migrants at sea, believing that since most of them were rescued from Libya, they must be transferred to this country at war, which these organizations refuse because of the climate. violence

The first article of this proposal establishes fines to organizations or ships that rescue migrants without following instructions authorities in the region where badistance is taking place, almost always in waters of Libyan competition, or those of their flag country.

The the penalties range from 3,500 to 5,000 euros for each migrant who transportsas well as suspension from 1 to 12 months or cancellation of the navigation license granted by the Italian authorities.

The proposal gives more powers to the Minister of the Interior in naval control, allows the use of telephone intercepts to fight against human mafias, allocates more resources to forces of order and proposes measures against mafia clans.

For the moment, it is only an announcement, although Mr Salvini has stated that he would like to propose the project to the Council of Ministers this week, who should vote and, if it is approved, then move to Parliament for it to be converted into law.

(With information from AP and EFE)