Pirates should be judged, not beheaded – expert

21.04.2010 Russia offers UN to establish international anti-piracy court. It could be an effective way to counter piracy, says Anatoly Kolodkin, the president of International Maritime Law Association.

"I'm astonished by statements of my colleagues who say Caesar's method to behead pirates would work", said Kolodkin at Tuesday's press conference.

He also reminded that on Apr 7 Russia introduced to UN Security Council a project implying establishment of international, regional, or national anti-piracy courts.

"UN Secretary General will consider the project and report to the Council an optimal variant of judicial authority. Also, he's going to calculate all things and say how much it would cost", added Kolodkin.

According to him, France and the UK did not repel the Russia's initiative; however, the U.S. "slipped over the subject".

"The rest countries did not argue against the offer either, so a decision [probably, positive one] would be made within three months", Kolodkin said.

In its project Russia points out that not all countries criminalize piracy, and expresses regret that a great number of arrested pirates manage to escape punishment.