Seychelles to the forefront - jail for Somali pirates

by Des Ryan on 2 Aug 2010 The Seychelles may soon be an attractive destination for cruising yachts again, as the island nation takes stern action on pirates in its waters. They have announced that they have prosecuted and convicted a group of Somali pirates, with ten year sentences each.

While other nations are picking up the pirates and then letting them go to offend again, the Seychelles has come to the forefront of the action along with France, who has also been known to arrest, convict and sentence pirates to long stints in jail.

This is the first time that the Seychelles has taken such action. The office of the president said this week that the court had sentenced 11 Somali pirates to 10 years in prison each for their attempt to hijack the Seychelles coast guard patrol boat Topaz last December.

Eight of the Somalis were convicted of piracy, and three of them of aiding and abetting pirates.

The government announcement said,'Their conviction is a historical milestone as it is the first time that a piracy trial is successfully prosecuted in the Seychelles. Moreover these convicts will assist in the building of confidence of the countries and institutions supporting Seychelles in effort in the region and in extenso it will serve as a deterrent from prospective Somali pirates who would otherwise have thought that the would have come into Seychelles waters with impunity.'

Somali pirates have expanded their range in response to patrols by international warships and have, until now, been regularly preying on ships near Seychelles. This action will send a message to Somali pirates to stay away from their country.

Earlier this year the President made a dramatic swap of some Seychellois hostages with some pirates in Somalia, and he swore at the time he would work to free his nation, which depends heavily on tourism, from the threat of pirates.