Somali judges learn to prosecute pirates
DUBAI //A group of 31 Somali judges and prosecutors will travel to the UAE in October for training in holding piracy trials.
The workshops are part of a UAE-French initiative to equip the Somali
judicial system to try its own piracy cases, rather than relying on
other nations to prosecute them.
"We are working with the UAE to
train judges, prosecutors and clerks to set up a strong framework for
trying cases related to pirates," said Jocelyne Caballero, special
anti-piracy representative from the French ministry of foreign and
European affairs.
"We want to support Somalia to prosecute pirates
on their own. Being judged by their own authority will have much more
effect than prosecutions abroad."
The first group to undergo two
judicial training sessions will be chosen from Somalia and the
semiautonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland.
"The curriculum and the programme will be taught in the UAE," said Ms Caballero.
An
official from the UAE's international security department confirmed the
plans and said it would also look at training some Somali legal
authorities to instruct others at home.
"The training will also be for law teachers," the source said. "We are still working on details."
Somali
piracy cost governments and the shipping industry more than Dh25
billion last year, the advocacy group One Earth Future Foundation says.
More than 200 sailors are being held hostage by Somali pirates, and 62 have lost their lives to pirates since 2007.
The
secretary general of the United Nations issued a report in January
suggesting Somaliland and Puntland could be suitable locations to
prosecute pirates. At the time, concerns were raised about whether the
structure was in place for fair trials.
Neighbouring countries
including Kenya, Tanzania and the Seychelles have successfully
prosecuted pirates, handing down sentences of between 10 years and life
in prison.
Kenya has the highest number of pirates in prison, the
foundation says. Of the more than 750 in jail worldwide, 140 are in
Kenya.
"Trying the pirates in Somalia is critical," said Theodore
Karasik, the director of research and development at the international
security consultancy Inegma.
"The steps being taken in Kenya and Tanzania are important first steps, but the system has to be created in Somalia."
The
Kenyan ambassador to the UAE Mohamed Gello said prosecuting pirates in
neighbouring countries such as his was also a strain on resources.
"Any move that will help the Somali judicial system effectively deal with pirates is welcome," Mr Gello said.
"This sends the right signals that law and order is slowly being restored, along with the administration of justice.
"It is crucial to build confidence in the judicial system and for the pirates to be dealt with in their own country."
In
the UAE, the Federal Criminal Court sentenced 10 Somali pirates to life
imprisonment in May. They were captured last year by UAE special forces
and the US Fifth Fleet after they tried to hijack the UAE bulk oil
carrier MV Arrilah-I.
The UAE's stance on battling piracy has long
been underpinned by a belief that capturing pirates is only a first
step, one that must be backed by programmes to strengthen local
communities and bring stability to the area.
This was highlighted
at the international counter-piracy conference in Dubai last week,
co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Experts and
diplomats there said the UAE's efforts to bolster Somalia's legal system
were in line with the long-held policy that regionally led action plans
were the best solution.
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