The applicants, who are 11 Somali nationals along with 13 Eritrean nationals were part of a group of around 200 people on the move who left Libya aboard three vessels in the aim of reaching the Italian coast. They were intercepted by the Italian Coast Guard near Malta and pushed back to Tripoli. All their personal belongings were taken. After arriving in Tripoli they were transported 10 hours and handed over to Libyan authorities. The Court found Article 4 Protocol 4 violations, along with violations of Articles 3 and 13.