REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES WILL PROSECUTE 15 SUSPECTED PIRATES

The following excerpt is from a Department of State e-mail:

“Republic of the Seychelles Prosecution of Suspected Pirates
Press Statement Victoria Nuland Department Spokesperson,
Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
March 6, 2012
We welcome today’s decision by the Republic of the Seychelles to accept 15 suspected pirates for prosecution in connection with an alleged attack on a merchant ship and the abduction of 13 Iranian fishermen rescued by the U.S. Navy on January 5. Today, these individuals join more than 1,060 other suspected pirates facing justice in more than 20 countries.

We appreciate the Seychelles’ regional leadership on counter-piracy, as seen in their willingness to prosecute and incarcerate Somali pirates, as well as their plans to host a regional intelligence coordination center to support future piracy prosecutions. The successful resolution of this incident marks a positive step forward for building a strong and unified international response against piracy originating from Somalia and for promoting freedom of navigation worldwide.”