London. UK. Following an incident onboard a Liberian flagged container vessel entering UK territorial waters in February 2021 in which a male engineering cadet was attacked by a fellow crew member thereby putting him in fear for his safety, Human Rights at Sea today publishes an Insight Briefing Note on the key issue of safeguarding cadets’ safety, health and well-being.
London. UK. The Master of the MV Ali Bey (IMO 9070515) has provided a voluntary video testimony to Human Rights at Sea outlining the privations that he and the remaining three Syrian crew members continue to suffer since their vessel was arrested and abandoned by its owner in Constanza Port, Romania, in November 2020 with earned wages owed prior to that date stated as totalling USD $175,000.
London. UK. The UK-based NGO, Safer Waves, has recently been established to provide a route to support for seafarers who have suffered incidents of sexual violence or gender discrimination at sea as a new independent counselling service for victims of egregious human rights abuse. Funded through UK-based maritime funder, The Seafarers' Charity, its email service is now open to provide access to trained counsellors.
Press Release 11 July 2021 “…please hear us and rescue us from this hell.” London. UK. In the last week, Human Rights at Sea has received multiple messages from seafarers requesting urgent assistance as the crew change crisis and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to bite deep in the 1.6-1.7 million strong seafarer community....
On 18 May 2021, the Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court (臺灣高等法院高雄分院) affirmed the conviction of the Chinese-national Wang Fengyu (汪峰裕) to 26 years in prison on four counts of homicide by the court of first instance, the Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court (台灣高雄地方法院), on 29 January 2021.
London, UK. The 13th episode of the Even Keel podcast produced by Abhijith Balakrishnan, a seafarer and Marine Superintendent with Scorpio India, engages Human Rights at Sea through Joanne Rawley and David Hammond in discussing key issues currently affecting seafarers and driving the work of the charity.
London, UK. On Saturday, 17 April, representatives from the International IMO and Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) joined BBC Radio Scotland's national morning programme to discuss the ongoing issue and rising cases of abandoned seafarers globally. Mr. Frederick Kenny, Director of the IMO Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, and David Hammond, CEO, HRAS answered searching questions with the aim of bringing increased understanding to the Scottish audience.
London, UK. Human Rights at Sea has been contacted by the 19 abandoned crew of the Bulk Carrier MV AIZDIHAR (IMO 8906846) flagged to Tanzania anchored of Bander Abbas, Iran, (27°06'32.8"N 56°17'47.6"E) who report that they are rapidly running out of food, water and fuel and are urgently requesting support in their ordeal.
Editorial 12 April 2021 London. UK. As The Guardian’s reporter, George Monboit headlined in his April 7th article review of the new Netflix Seaspiracy documentary. ‘The film gets some things wrong, but it exposes the grim ecological destruction of the Earth’s oceans‘. As important as ocean conservation is for the future of humanity, so is the...
London. UK. HRAS Commentary. Early last week, the Office of Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, published 'A distress call for human rights', a comprehensive follow-up to the 2019 recommendations drafted in 'Lives saved. Rights protected. Bridging the protection gap for refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean'. Human Rights at Sea has reviewed and today, highlights its recommendations in support.
London. UK. An update to the HRAS Press Release of 30 August 2020 concerning the 2014 footage of the murder of persons at sea off Somalia first identified through mobile phone footage.
London, UK. / Suva, Fiji. Three Filipino crewmen have been left stranded in Fiji by their employers and manning agency. The seafarers have found themselves with few options and remain in limbo having contacted affiliated humanitarian support workers to Human Rights at Sea and provided firsthand testimony.
London. UK. On Saturday 13 February 2021 at 04:48, Human Rights at Sea received a direct call for assistance from an engine cadet who had been seriously assaulted by a senior crew member on a container ship en-route to the Port of London. The male cadet was frightened, he did not know where to turn and was in fear of his life.
London, UK. Human Rights at Sea has instructed 9 Bedford Row Chambers, London, to support the ongoing review of the case of Eritara Aatii Kaierua, the Kiribati fisheries observer who was found dead onboard the Taiwanese-flagged vessel WIN FAR 636, in March of this year while fishing in PNG waters.
London, UK. Human Rights at Sea today issues two new major international peer-reviewed reports focusing on Fisheries Observer safety, security and well-being in the Western and Central Pacific region, including for Observers employed by Commonwealth States through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.
