Cutthroat buccaneers, Piracy and the Law

May 24th, 2012 |

Author: matrix

The study of a brief history of Piracy and Pirates can be studied in the viewpoint of many vocations; including, technological, sociopolitical, or even criminological. However piracy and pirates can also be take a look at through a legal perspective. The relevance of study piracy in the prism is best illustrated by consider what piracy as well as pirates are. Piracy was a crime, a violation from the law. Pirates are a class of criminals in whose primary crime was piracy.

As piracy is a crime their must be in existence specific laws about them. Like all criminal laws the laws regarding piracy serve to define what actions or mixture of action or omissions would constitute piracy. Like all laws the laws associated with piracy have a source. The Source for laws and regulations includes custom, statue and treaties. The law also offers finality. Laws sometimes have exceptions the exception towards the general law om piracy is privateering. Finally what the law states of piracy provides procedures for the prosecutes pirates and for that alleged pirate to defend against those charges.

II. Law of Piracy and it is sources. Regarding the law defining piracy; Their are many laws on piracy however it’s possible assemble a definition of piracy. An individual is guilty of piracy if he or she disposes and “carries away” or attempts to dispossess as well as carry away another’s vessel its cargo or passengers property about this said vessel; or be the commander or person in crew of a ship used as platform for that completed or attempted act of piracy. All these conduct will unless the crew conducting the piratical act is acting under and based on a letter of marque or otherwise functioning like a state apparatus. Furthermore for one to be guilty of piracy the piratical act must occur in international waters which exists at least 3 miles in the coast of the mainland. The law banning piracy wouldn’t limit it self to people engaging in conventional acts of piracy; the law also classifies individuals knowingly helping or involving themselves with pirates because pirates themselves. The type of help or involvement classified as piracy include conspiring using the pirates, financing the pirates, procuring items to supply by pirates, holding stolen goods for them, counseling them, directing from shore giving them equipment or even helping them recruit etc.

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