A legal agreement was announced today allowing suspected pirates detained by the European Union Naval Force Atalanta to be prosecuted in Kenyan courts and if found guilty sentenced to imprisonment in their jails.
This agreement will enhance the EU ability to bring pirates to justice without having to transfer the suspects back to the flag state of the arresting warship or the attacked merchant vessel.
The signing took place at a ceremony in Nairobi between the European Union Representative Her Exellency. Margita Fuchsová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kenya and the Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“This represents an important step forward in the EU's efforts to combat piracy and will act as a significant deterrent to those considering committing criminal acts of this kind in the region”, a spokesman for Op Atalanta said on completion of the signing ceremony.