Second Case of Pirate Compensation Draws Bitter Criticism
ADDING INSULT to injury as another decision of the European Court of Human Rights is even more repugnant and insulting to all Seafarers who have survived piracy atacks, says MPHRP.
Close on the news that the French government has been ordered to pay thousands in compensation to Somali pirates who had attacked French ships, "because the pirates' human rights were disregarded when they were arrested". The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has again given a ruling that Denmark has to compensate nine Somalis suspected of trying to hijack a Danish ship in 2013 because they were detained too long before being brought before a judge.
Each pirate received 19,600 Danish crowns ($3,247) for the 13 days they were detained, a spokesman from the prosecutor in Copenhagen said.
The nine Somalis were charged with piracy after they attempted to hijack a tanker vessel Torm Kansas (pictured), in the Indian Ocean in November 2013. They were arrested after their unsuccessful attack by the Danish Navy support ship Esben Snarre.
Roy Paul, Programme Director of MPHRP, said that obviously it was 13 days before they could be brought before a judge in the Seychelles. In media reports of the judgement it has stated that 'according to Danish law, a citizen cannot be held in custody for more than 24 hours without being brought before a judge' but these pirates from Somalia are neither citizens of Denmark or the EU so why does this rule apply to them? The judges don't seem to know about the horror these armed criminals cause to the seafarers and their families.
The judges appear to be looking at the letter of the law not the spirit. It is there to protect innocent people but it is being used to reward criminals. MPHRP would be happy to introduce the judges to some of the piracy survivors that MPHRP supports and enable them to listen to their stories of how their captors took away all their human rights but they have never been compensated."
Roy Paul added, "On behalf of the seafarers and their families and our industry partners we are requesting the leaders of the States in the European Union to take urgent action against these crazy judgements. These pirates received US$250 a day for being held.
To assist the crew of a vessel which was held for 1000 days would the ECHR hear their case and grant them the US$25,000 they deserve for suffering at the hands of criminal pirates?
For the 30 seafarers and fishers who have now been held for four years, what would the ECHR award them as compensation? However they will receive nothing, not even their wages".
Read more: MPHRP
Follow us on facebook Maritime Piracy Humantarian Response Programme. For more details please contact Roy Paul on email; Tel: +44 (0) 7917735042.
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