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| Britain | ||
| Pirates can claim UK asylum | ||
| 2008-04-14 | ||
THE Royal Navy, once the scourge of brigands on the high seas, has been told by the Foreign Office not to detain pirates because doing so may breach their human rights.
The Foreign Office has advised that pirates sent back to Somalia could have their human rights breached because, under Islamic law, they face beheading for murder or having a hand chopped off for theft.
Last week French commandos seized a Somali pirate gang that had held a luxury yacht with 22 French citizens on board. The hijackers were paid off by the boat’s owner and then a French helicopter carrier dispatched 50 commandos to seize the hijackers and the ransom money on dry land. Britain is part of a coalition force that patrols piracy stricken areas and the guidance has troubled navy officers who believe they should have more freedom to intervene. The guidance was sharply criticised by Julian Brazier MP, the Conservative shipping spokesman, who said: “These people commit horrendous offences. The solution is not to turn a blind eye but to turn them over to the local authorities. The convention on human rights quite rightly doesn’t cover the high seas. It’s a pathetic indictment of what our legal system has come to.” A Foreign Office spokesman said: “There are issues about human rights and what might happen in these circumstances. The main thing is to ensure any incident is resolved peacefully.” The guidance is the latest blow to the robust image of the navy. Last year 15 of its sailors were taken prisoner by the Iranians and publicly humiliated. In the 19th century, British warships largely eradicated piracy when they policed the oceans. The death penalty for piracy on the high seas remained on the statute books until 1998. Modern piracy ranges from maritime mugging to stealing from merchant ships with the crew held at gunpoint. | ||
| Posted by:Cromert |
| #27 There's a tried and true pirate disposal method, over the side with a cannon ball tied to their feet, been used around 800 years or so, only problem now would be getting a foundry to cast a new run of cannon balls, we're quite out right now. Maybe with a cast on loop for the ropes? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-04-14 23:09 |
| #26 What? Only one set of balls to loan around? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-04-14 23:02 |
| #25 Why is that a surprise? Remember the awesome support that was afforded their own Sailors when the Iranians hijacked their boat a couple months back? it seems to me that the EU has a rule that only one country at a time can show any balls, and since it now seems the French are doing so, all others have to quit. |
| Posted by: USN,Ret. 2008-04-14 14:11 |
| #24 Is belonging to an asocial group or criminal enterprise a requirement for British citizenship nowadays? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2008-04-14 12:54 |
| #23 JFM : I have read several well documented examples about this. The EU referendum blog often writes about this. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-04-14 12:47 |
| #22 Sorry omitted link: Chinese Uighurs. |
| Posted by: tipper 2008-04-14 12:18 |
| #21 Warships patrolling pirate-infested waters, such as those off Somalia, have been warned that there is also a risk that captured pirates could claim asylum in Britain. Maybe the Foreign Office has been studying the case of the Chinese Uighurs. For the Chinese Uighurs (pronounced WEE-gurs ), there is no end in sight. About 20 countries -- including Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Turkey and a Latin American country -- have turned down U.S. overtures to give them asylum, according to U.S. officials. The State Department says it is still working behind the scenes to find the Uighurs a home. A senior official called their situation "unfortunate." This month, lawyers and human rights groups appealed to the United States to take in the stranded Uighurs. "It's not like these people were once considered to be a threat and now are not," said Tom Malinowski of Human Rights Watch. "These people need to be released, either in another country or the U.S. They're America's responsibility." |
| Posted by: tipper 2008-04-14 12:13 |
| #20 The Foreign Office has advised that pirates sent back to Somalia could have their human rights breached because, under Islamic law, they face beheading for murder or having a hand chopped off for theft. Yeah, but sharia law is comung to the UK anyway, so what's the big deal? |
| Posted by: charger 2008-04-14 11:55 |
| #19 Their navy is underfunded and under-equipped. There are many pro-EUers who want to encourage the trend of destroying the UK's individual military capability. It is still more under-equipped because UK's Armed Forces have been forced to buy their hardware for purely EU-political reasons: ie buy European weapons even when there is a much cheaper andor much more capable equivalent but with the original sin of being american. I have read several well documented examples about this. |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-04-14 11:19 |
| #18 Warships patrolling pirate-infested waters, such as those off Somalia, have been warned that there is also a risk that captured pirates could claim asylum in Britain. Not if we hang their asses first. |
| Posted by: Chief Running Gag 2008-04-14 11:06 |
| #17 The RN is deconstructing faster than the USN. In a decade, it will be two half finished aircraft carriers in French dockyards that even the Indians won't want to take off their hands. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-04-14 09:29 |
| #16 #10: With rules like this, who needs a navy? Their navy is underfunded and under-equipped. There are many pro-EUers who want to encourage the trend of destroying the UK's individual military capability. They've come close to achieving their goals already and this sort of EUish crap is one more evidence that they will succeed unless there is strong pushback from British citizens. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-04-14 09:16 |
| #15 So I would take this to mean that the Foreign Office sees the human rights of pirates as more important then the human rights of their victims and potential victims? Isn't that a nice message to send... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-04-14 09:13 |
| #14 Britain will be a 3rd world nation in 20 years keeping shit like this going. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-04-14 09:11 |
| #13 Oviously the F.O. needs time off - finding 'human rights' for all and sundry is hard work. Might I suggest a nice, long cruise? Say, off eastern Africa? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2008-04-14 09:08 |
| #12 Directions seem clear to me: Pirates should be sunk and left in the water. |
| Posted by: RWV 2008-04-14 08:35 |
| #11 Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, Drink up me 'earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We kindle and char, inflame and ignite, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We burn up the city, we're really a fright, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We're rascals, scoundrels, villans, and knaves, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We'll ask for asylum, lay our guns down, Drink up me 'earties, yo ho. We'll live on welfare in London-town, Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2008-04-14 08:13 |
| #10 With rules like this, who needs a navy? |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-04-14 08:02 |
| #9 I can see it now. The Royal Navy retreating at flank speed chased by pirates trying to surrender. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-04-14 07:48 |
| #8 By the powers ! Move along ya lily livered landlubbers ! We have come to ply the sweet trade to your foamy waters. Us sea dogs will adapt to terra firma very well , especially with your amazing state benefits ! |
| Posted by: Spash Lumumba2608 2008-04-14 07:26 |
| #7 I prefer the "Deep 6" method for dealing with pirates. I hope the British just stay the hell out of the way in Somali waters and don't try to "help" too much. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-04-14 07:24 |
| #6 Every American should say prayer for George Washington and Thomas Jefferson at least once a day. I will do the same for Joan of Arc. |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-04-14 05:19 |
| #5 Pirates can claim UK asylum To improve the Royal gene pool. |
| Posted by: RD 2008-04-14 03:40 |
| #4 What i do not understand is why the Brit foreign office is discriminating against aircraft hijackers and suicide bombers. They, too, must face persecution if turned back over to their national authorities. For that matter, bank robbers should be granted asylum - under these standards The UK has already made a laughingstock out of its domestic policy. 'Talk about hitting bottom, and continuing to dig ....... |
| Posted by: Lone Ranger 2008-04-14 02:08 |
| #3 Britain's laws have become asinine. Shouldn't be much longer now. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2008-04-14 01:36 |
| #2 The sun has officially set on the British Empire. Pirates should be decorating the yardarms. Not granted asylum and, no doubt, a government 'welfare' check. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2008-04-14 01:28 |
| #1 A Foreign Office spokesman said: “There are issues about human rights and what might happen in these circumstances. The main thing is to ensure any incident is resolved peacefully.” HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa! These Human Rights foamers and droolers are SO funny. Time to start hunting them down and making them go away. |
| Posted by: Vespasian Ebbairong5632 2008-04-14 01:18 |