On November 15, 2011, a French court in Paris began the trial of six accused Somali pirates. The trial was the result of a 2008 attack on a yacht in the Gulf of Aden, during which a couple aboard the yacht was held hostage for two weeks. This was France's first piracy trial, and the accused pirates could face life in prison. International maritime piracy has become a recurring issue in the past few years, and the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, urged the international community to increase efforts to stop these acts.



Learn more about maritime piracy from the JURIST news archive.

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