Human Rights Law News

The United Nations Security Council on Monday expressed its deep concern over piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea, and stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach — led by States of the region, with international support — to address the problem and its root causes. Issuing presidential statement S/PRST/2016/4, the Council strongly condemned acts of murder, kidnapping, hostage-taking and robbery by pirates in the Gulf, and underlined the importance of determining any links between piracy and armed robbery at sea, and terrorist groups in West Africa and the Sahel subregions. It encouraged regional organizations — including the African Union…

The United Nations Security Council called for a comprehensive regional approach to combat the threat of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea, and reiterated its call on Member States to prosecute perpetrators in accordance with international laws. “The Security Council expresses its deep concern at the reported number of incidents and level of violence of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea, in the first half of 2013,” the 15-member body said in a presidential statement.

Sea Containers Ltd., passenger transport operator, marine container lessor and leisure industry investor announced today that its subsidiary Hoverspeed Ltd. operator of fast ferry services on the English Channel, has been successful in its legal challenge of UK Customs and Excise procedures. HM Customs and Excise have been checking and detaining Hoverspeed passengers and seizing their goods and the vehicles in which they travelled. The High Court ruled today that the Customs' policy currently in place could be regarded as a "disproportionate executive policy" and Hoverspeed won on all points. President of Sea Containers Ltd., Mr. James B. Sherwood said the implications of the judgement are very far reaching. "No longer will HM Customs and Excise be entitled to stop passengers at random.