Documentary: From Compassion to Crime

Where does the line lie between humanity and criminality? On Thursday 24 September, the Rotary Club Purmerend Waterland is organising a special public evening centred on the documentary *From Compassion to Crime* by filmmaker and journalist Stanzen Léh Jelsma.

The documentary examines how citizens, journalists and aid workers who help people fleeing their homes are increasingly being prosecuted themselves in various European countries. People who rescue those in distress at sea, provide temporary shelter or document human rights violations sometimes find themselves in court as a result.

Through personal stories, *From Compassion to Crime* illustrates the consequences of this trend for those involved and the questions it raises about solidarity, justice and the way Europe deals with migration. One of the stories is that of the Dutch aid worker Pieter Wittenberg, who was prosecuted for years because of his voluntary work on Lesbos. The Dutch journalist Ingeborg Beugel is also featured, after she was charged in Greece for providing temporary shelter to a young Afghan refugee.

Following the screening, Stanzen Léh Jelsma will engage in a discussion with the audience about the documentary, the current situation surrounding the new European migration pact, and what these developments mean for humanitarian aid and solidarity in Europe.