1. They’re Back: Why Can’t International Law Stop Pirates?
David Davenport
Crystal Serenity
February, 2011

2. Modern Pirates

3. New Targets

4. 2010 A Record Year 53 ships taken 1181 hostages and 8 killed
Up 10% from 2009

5. Somalis Alone Have…… 28 ships 638 hostages
Lawless region allows base of operation (history of anti-dumping becoming piracy)

6. International Law

7. Very Different from National Law

8. International “Law” More Like “Norms”

9. Universal Jurisdiction

10. Universal Jurisdiction
Belgium—Tried to become the world’s courtroom
Spain—Bush Admin. Officials over Guantanamo
Norway—War crimes against Israel

11. Universal Jurisdiction

12. Why Isn’t Intl. Law Working Against Pirates?

13. Legal Problems

14. Practical Problems

15. Practical Problems

16. Ransoms Ransoms in 2010 averaged $5.4 million Total ransoms paid in

17. Requires 4 things to tackle this:
Law authorizing capture
Courts to try cases
Force to capture pirates
Jails to hold them

18. Possible Approaches United Nations Clarify Law
Intl Crim Court (or one national court) to try cases
Regional Coast Guard to capture
Clean up Somalia

19. They’re Back: Why Can’t International Law Stop Pirates?