Sometimes you just know that we are in a parallel universe from some parts of the legal community. Extracted from the latest 'Marine Professional' newsletter.
Barry M
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Court orders France to compensate pirates
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that France should recompense nine Somali nationals who hijacked French-registered vessels off Somalia due to judicial delays. The court decided that France had not sufficiently guaranteed the pirates' liberty rights as they had been taken into custody for 48 hours when they arrived in the country instead of being "promptly" brought before a legal authority. This contravened the European Human Rights Convention as the Somalians had already been detained for between four and six days prior to their extradition to France.
In an edict likely to anger the maritime community, France must now pay the nine hijackers sums of between €2,000 and €9,000 each. Six of the plaintiffs, Abdurahman Ali Samatar, Ismael Ali Samatar, Abdulqader Guled Said, Mohamed Said Hote, Abdullahi Yusuf Hersi and Daher Guled Said, were prosecuted in France for acts of piracy committed in 2008. They intercepted and boarded French-flagged cruiseship the Ponant, taking 30 crew hostage and only releasing them when a $2.15M ransom was paid.
The other three, Yacoub Mohammed Hassan, Cheik Nour Jama Mohamoud and Abdulhai Guelleh Ahmed, were also prosecuted for acts of piracy committed in 2008, hijacking the French yacht Carré d'As and naval frigate Courbet just three days apart in September that year.
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