The boat disaster that left 300 people feared dead off the Italian coast is the result of a repressive policy toward illegal immigrants, a UN official says.
Italian officials say at least 93 people died - including three children and two pregnant women - after a boat with up to 500 African asylum seekers caught fire and sank near the island of Lampedusa.
"These deaths did not need to happen," said Francois Crepeau, the United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.
He said the "criminalisation of irregular immigration" had played a role in the worst recent refugee disaster in the Mediterranean.
"Treating irregular migrants only by repressive measures would create these tragedies," he told reporters.
"Irregular immigration is not a crime against persons or property or security... 99.99 per cent of irregular migrants pose no threat to security."
By closing their borders, European countries are only giving more power to human traffickers, Crepeau said, adding that politicians must take some responsibility for tragedies such as the one at Lampedusa.
The UN special rapporteur was speaking at the start of two days of debate at the UN General Assembly on international migration.
At the start of the debate, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered his "deep condolences" and said he hoped the tragedy would be a "spur to action."
The UN chief said protecting migrants' rights, fighting against exploitation and improving the public perception of migrants were all crucial.
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