ANKARA

An Italian court on Friday did not validate the detention of irregular migrants taken from Italy in Albania, ordering concerned authorities to bring them back to the country, according to media reports.

The first group of 16 irregular migrants, including 10 Bangladeshis and six Egyptians, who were rescued at sea in recent days, were transported by an Italian Navy ship to the Albanian port of Shengjin on Wednesday.

Four of them, including two minors and two others suffering from diseases, were previously taken back to Italy.

The special immigration unit at Rome's court rejected the detention of the other 12 migrants in Albania, ordering their return to Italy's Bari on Saturday, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The court explained that the migrants’ home countries were not deemed safe places.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reportedly criticized the court ruling, saying the judiciary should apply the law.

The relocation is part of a recent initiative by Italy's Interior Ministry to handle irregular migrant arrivals outside its borders. Last week, two migrant reception centers in Shengjin and Gjiader became operational in preparation for incoming groups of irregular migrants.

The plan has sparked backlash from human rights organizations. In January, Amnesty International and other advocacy groups condemned the Italy-Albania deal, calling it "unworkable, harmful, and unlawful" and urging lawmakers to reject it.

The Italian scheme has drawn comparisons to the UK’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, which has faced legal challenges and widespread criticism.