EU NAVFOR releases 18 Somali pirates after unsuccessful prosecution attempts

[News_Editor]

EU NAVFOR releases 18 Somali pirates after unsuccessful prosecution attempts

2011-04-22 00:22:33 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- The European Union Naval Force on Thursday released 18 Somali pirates after not country decided to prosecute them, EU NAVFOR spokesman Paddy O'Kennedy said.

The 18 suspects were detained by the EU NAVFOR Finnish warship FNS Pohjanmaa since April 6. However, no country responded within the required timescale the requests to prosecute the pirates.

"They were released after requests to a number of states, who were considered to have an interest in the case, proved to be unsuccessful," added spokesman O'Kennedy.

The 18 individuals were detained after allegedly attacking the Singapore-flagged vessel MV Pacific Opal on April 5. The suspected pirates were returned to Somalia this morning as EU NAVFOR has no authority to prosecute suspected pirates.

Once pirates are detained, EU NAVFOR has to seek a State willing to prosecute them. According to international law, all States have jurisdiction to prosecute persons suspected to be involved in piracy.

The country that detains pirates has the right to prosecute them. If the state does not want to, the Flag State of the attacked or pirated vessel is the next contacted. The EU NAVFOR can also contact other nations that may be interested in prosecuting the criminals.

EU NAVFOR is not able to detain the pirates indefinitely as this is in breach of the regulations of the European Convention on Human Rights.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-22

[chuckd]

Now, about that Russian solution to the piracy problem......

[cdnvic]

Very few legal loopholes in a 57mm Bofors cannon.

[slapout]

Guess no one considered keel hauling them back to where they were picked up and and then putting them into a holed dingy?