Pirates got 5-year imprisonment

18.06.2010 Dutch court sentenced each of five Somali pirates to a 5-year imprisonment. The court adjudged them guilty of attempt to capture Dutch-flagged Turkish cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden.

The first "piracy" process in Europe was resulted in 5-year imprisonment given to each defendant by Dutch court on June 17. According to DPA, inferior court of Rotterdam considered proven the fact that 5 accused persons at the age of 25-45 tried to hijack Dutch-flagged Turkish cargo ship on Jan 2, 2009 with intent to demand a ransom. Prosecution called for imprisonment for a term of 7 years, reports AFP.

Accused citizens of Somalia protested their innocence trying to convince judges they were simple fishermen who had been in distress seeking for help from Turkish vessel Samanyolu. In its turn, the prosecution contradicted that the accused persons had broken the law even at the time they sailed off with weapon to find and seize a vessel.

While adjudgement of the sentence, the court took into consideration the evidence of the Turkish ship's crew and Danish servicemen. According to their evidence, on Jan 2, 2009 pirates fired at Dutch-flagged ship Samanyolu by grenade launchers and small arms. However, the ship's crew managed to repel the attack. Somali pirates were arrested by a Danish warship came to the incident site. Four weeks later persons accused in piracy were brought to Netherlands.