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Greece: Seán Binder acquitted of all charges

Reacting to the decision to acquit rescue volunteer Seán Binder of all criminal charges including membership of a criminal organization, fraud, money laundering, and smuggling (facilitation of irregular entry) Eve Geddie the Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office said:

“Today’s decision is a welcome relief for Seán and his friends, family and supporters, but also for civil society in Greece and beyond. While welcoming this reprieve, Amnesty International underlines once again that these charges should never have been brought to trial in the first place.

“Sean’s human rights have been violated, and his life has remained on hold for many years. We hope today’s decision sends a strong signal to Greece and other European countries that solidarity, compassion and defending human rights should be protected and celebrated, not punished.

“The EU must also take note of today’s decision and introduce stronger safeguards against the criminalization of humanitarian assistance under EU law, no one should be punished for trying to help.”

Seán Binder said: “The court reached the only decision it could today based on the limited legal basis of the charges and the flimsy evidence the prosecutor presented. It is a huge relief that I will not spend the next 20 years in a prison cell, but at the same time, it is troubling that this should ever have been a possibility.

“Today, it was made clear, as it should always have been, that providing life-saving humanitarian assistance is an obligation, not a crime. That using WhatsApp is normal, not evidence of criminality. That buying laundry machines for a refugee camp does not make someone a money launderer. This acquittal must set a precedent.”  

Background

On 15 January 2026 alongside 23 other defendants, Seán Binder stood trial before the Court of Appeal of Lesvos, Greece. The court acquitted rescue volunteer Seán Binder of all charges.

Amnesty International representatives were present at Seán’s trial and spokespeople are available on request.

For more information contact press@amnesty.org or +32 4836 80812 & Free Humanitarians 

For more information on Seán Binder’s case, please see:

Amnesty International Report: Europe: Punishing compassion: Solidarity on trial in Fortress Europe 

Amnesty International campaign, Solidarity on trial: People in Europe are being targeted for helping refugees and migrants 

Greece: Authorities must ‘drop baseless charges’ against rescue volunteer Seán Binder

The post Greece: Seán Binder acquitted of all charges appeared first on Amnesty International.

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Kilauea volcano (Hawai’i): earthquake swarm beneath summit caldera

Location of quakes under Kilauea volcano during the past 24 hours

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected an earthquake swarm beneath the summit of Kilauea volcano, which could (but not necessarily must) herald a possible change in eruption style:
„On Wednesday, January 14 at 7:35 p.m. HST, a swarm of earthquakes began beneath Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea. Elevated seismic activity gradually died down in frequency of occurrence and intensity, over the course of 40 minutes. Locations of these earthquakes are spread broadly beneath east side of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the south caldera. All of the detected earthquakes have been less than magnitude-2, with most being magnitude-1 or smaller. 

This is the third small swarm of earthquakes beneath Halemaʻumaʻu crater since the end of episode 40.  The first swarm began at 12:40 a.m. HST and lasted for 30 minutes on Tuesday, January 13. It was followed the next day by a second swarm around 9:10 a.m. HST, and lasted less than 30 minutes on Wednesday morning, January 14. The first and second swarms both had magnitude ranges similar to the third. Most of the earthquakes seem to be occurring around the shallow Halemaʻumaʻu magma chamber, some 1.5 to 4 km beneath the surface.  

Most of the earthquakes are volcano-tectonic earthquakes that accompany crack opening due to magmatic pressure. Elevated seismic activity of these intensities have not been seen at the summit since the start of the eruption in December 2024. A small swarm did precede a new fissure opening in the wall of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater just to the south of the vents, at the start of episode 30. It is yet to be determined if these swarms after episode 40 will have an impact on lava-fountaining activity at the surface.

Volcanic systems remain a complex balance of magmatic pressure and strength of the surrounding rocks. If the rocks weaken, one possible outcome is injection of a magma into a fracture creating a dike. If the magma breaches the surface a new vent might be created shifting the focus of the eruption. Historically, episodic fountain eruptions can cease when the magma supply is diverted in this manner.

Currently all of the activity remains beneath Kīlauea caldera and there is no observable evidence that magma is migrating away from this area.  Both the east and the southwest rift zones remain quiet at this time.“ 

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Lewotolok steps up while Sangay eases, amid steady Indonesian eruptions

Indonesia dominated today’s activity, with multiple eruptions holding at mid-level alerts and a notable uptick at Lewotolok. Activity at Ecuador’s Sangay decreased, while Popocatepetl and several Andean volcanoes stayed in eruption.

Indonesia
Eruptive output increased at Lewotolok (Level 2 – Alert). Ongoing eruptions persisted at Merapi, Semeru, and Lewotobi (all Level 3 – Standby). Marapi, Ibu, and Dukono held at Level 2 – Alert, while Kerinci showed ongoing unrest at Level 2.

Mexico
Popocatepetl continued its long-running eruption (Yellow Alert – Phase 2).

South America
Colombia’s Purace and Peru’s Sabancaya remained eruptive (both Orange). In Ecuador, Reventador stayed at Orange while Sangay decreased (Yellow).

Source: Smithsonian/USGS GVP Daily Volcanic Activity Report for 14 January 2026.

Activity Summary for 14 January 2026

Volcano Country Activity Type Keynotes
Dukono Indonesia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 2 – Alert.
Ibu Indonesia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 2 – Alert.
Lewotobi Indonesia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 3 – Standby.
Lewotolok Indonesia Eruption Eruptive activity increased; Alert Level 2 – Alert.
Marapi Indonesia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 2 – Alert.
Merapi Indonesia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 3 – Standby.
Popocatepetl Mexico Eruption Eruption ongoing; Yellow Alert – Phase 2.
Purace Colombia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level Orange.
Reventador Ecuador Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 3 – Orange.
Sabancaya Peru Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level Orange.
Sangay Ecuador Eruption Eruptive activity decreased; Alert Level 2 – Yellow.
Semeru Indonesia Eruption Eruption ongoing; Alert Level 3 – Standby.
Kerinci Indonesia Unrest Ongoing unrest; Alert Level 2 – Alert.