Special UN Courts for Pirates

The UN Security Council decided to study the establishment of special courts to try the pirates of Somalia within and outside the country.

“The Security Council decides to consider urgently the establishment of specialized courts in Somalia to try those suspected pirates in both Somalia and the region, including an offshore Somali specialized court to fight piracy,” reads the Resolution 1976 of the Board.

The 15 council members, plus representatives from Spain, Italy, Ukraine and Somalia, who are not part, intended to promote the fight against piracy by arresting and prosecuting offenders.

The resolution sponsored by Russia and adopted unanimously requested the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, to submit proposals during the next two months.

The Council also hopes that governments, the maritime industry and others affected by piracy will provide financial support for any new courts.

It also suggests to the States to “criminalize piracy” under their national laws, and to investigate and expose those who finance, organize or benefits from piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia.

Pirate attacks “aggravate the situation in the country, that still represents a threat to international peace and security in the region,” the Resolution adds.

For this reason, the Security Council “calls upon States and regional organizations to continue to support and assist Somalia in its efforts to develop domestic fisheries and port activities in line with the Regional Action Plan, and in this sense emphasizes the importance of defining as soon as possible the maritime areas of Somalia under the Convention [of the UN]. ”

The Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, considers that the adoption of the resolution is a “great step forward” of the Council.

For the diplomat, you must create “an effective legal mechanism that takes the pirates to justice,” informed the agency EFE.

Meanwhile, the French ambassador to the UN, Gérard Araud, expressed his conformity that the new rule “takes into consideration the long-term economic interests of Somalia, calling for the Somali maritime delimitation.”