Israel detains 21 international activists following interception of Gaza-bound aid vessel
The Israeli military on Sunday intercepted a civilian vessel, detaining 21 international activists and journalists who were aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. In a statement, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international grassroots network of human rights and civil society organizations, declared that its vessel Handala was “violently intercepted” by the Israeli military, [...]
Note: This is part one of a three-part series on the proposed handover of the Chagos Archipelago from the UK to Mauritius. Part two — Why the Proposed UK-Mauritius Handover Is Not Required by International Law — can be found here. Part three — How the Proposed UK-Mauritius Handover Could be Halted by the British [...]
Protests break out in Yemen after US, British airstrike campaign
Protests broke out across Yemen Friday following US and UK airstrikes on Houthi militants according to Reuters. US and British forces carried out airstrikes on Houthi militants after the UN Security Council demanded a stop to Houthi attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea. Houthis have launched over a dozen attacks on commercial ships [...]
International Waters, Local Disputes: The Galaxy Leader Incident and the Challenge of Maritime Law
Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Red Sea on Sunday, taking 25 crew members hostage. The rebels claimed the hijacking was in response to the ship’s connection to Israel, and declared an intention to target ships linked to or owned by Israelis in international waters until the end of Israel’s campaign [...]
UN Security Council adopts Gulf of Guinea anti-piracy resolution
The United Nations Security Council Tuesday adopted a resolution urging member states to criminalize piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea under domestic laws. The Gulf of Guinea is a global hotspot for piracy. In an attempt to combat crime, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2634 which calls member states [...]
Somalian Pirates and the Law of the Sea: International Law in Crisis
“Somalia is a land that has descended so deeply into misery that “failed state” is too generous a description for the country.” –TIME Magazine In August 2020, three Iranian hostages who had been held for five years were freed by Somalian pirates, as contradictory news emerged that another ship had been intercepted after a three-year [...]
A Resolution for International Disputes in Greco-Turkish Seas
The recent controversy ignited by the exploratory drills conducted off the coast of Cyprus is just the latest addition to the chain of conflicts between Greece and Turkey. The apparent reason for the spark seems to be the new-found energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which has attracted competition in the region. However, there [...]
Federal appeals court rules Somali pirate cannot withdraw plea deal
The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled Wednesday that a Somali man convicted of piracy cannot withdraw his plea deal . Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse was the sole surviving pirate suspect from the...
The Spanish National Court on Wednesday sentenced six Somali pirates to 16 years in prison for an October 2012 attack on the Spanish boat Izurdia. While attempting to attack the tuna...
The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ordered France to compensate nine Somalis, most of whom are convicted pirates, for their arrest in 2008. After hijacking a French luxury...
