Commentary Archives - Human Rights At Sea

The Right to Life: Italy found by UN in violation of the right to life of Migrants at Sea

28th January 202129th January 2021Commentary, Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea, HRAS, Human Rights at Sea, International Issues, Mediterranean, Migrants, Press Release, rescue, SAR

the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), the treaty body responsible for the monitoring of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, found Italy in violation of its obligations under the Covenant in particular in violation of the right to life as provided in Article 6 of the ICCPR read alone, and in conjunction with Article 2 (3), in the context of Search and Rescue (SAR) operations of migrants at sea. According to the HRC, Italy delayed and failed to actively provide rescue to 200 migrants on the high seas.

WCPFC 17: Human and Labour Rights Developments and Challenges

21st December 202021st December 2020Article, Commentary, Conservation, Fisheries Observer, WCPFC

London. UK. Human Rights at Sea has Observer status with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and attended the virtual WCPFC 17th Regular Session between 7-15th December 2020. The charitable NGO presented a detailed intervention on its peer-reviewed proposal for a new and dedicated Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) and follow on paper covering the ramifications for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), specifically focusing on the safety, security and well-being of fisheries observers.

Mediterranean Migrant Crisis: A Review of the Easter Weekend 10-12 April 2020

11th May 202011th May 2020Commentary, Italy, Malta, Mediterranean, Migrants, Review

London. UK. In the days following Easter 2015, more than 1200 migrants and refugees lost their lives in the Central Mediterranean Sea across a handful of incidents spanning just one week. 800 people were reported missing from a single capsized boat, to this day one of the deadliest shipwrecks recorded in Mediterranean history.

COVID-19: Fact Suppression or Careless Under-reporting of Seafarer’s Struggles?

29th March 202029th March 2020Commentary, COVID19, Editorial

“Panic is there onboard as well as at home. In this severe situation we would like to be with our families to support them.” Seafarer 25 March 2020. London. UK. CEO David Hammond shares his thoughts and position from evidence presented to the charitable NGO for what appears to be an unexplained under-reporting of the detail of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on displaced and abandoned seafarers, as well as on their suffering families.

Bullying and Harassment at Sea: A Clear and Present threat to Seafarers

17th February 202017th February 2020Abuse, Articles, Bullying, Commentary, Harassment, India, International Issues, Labour rights, Seafarers

London. UK. Human Rights at Sea today publishes a redacted example of testimony and background facts from a recent case highlighted in detail to the charity and other leading welfare entities concerning bullying and harassment towards an experienced Indian Chief Engineer by a Turkish Master on Marshall Islands flagged vessel.

Norwegian Flag and owners step up to support new humanitarian rescue vessel in Mediterranean

22nd July 201922nd July 2019Abuse, Commentary, European Commission, European Union, Mediterranean, Migrants, MSF, SOS MEDITERRANEE

Press Release 22 July 2019 London, UK. The Norwegian Flag and Norwegian owners have stepped up to provide a new civil society humanitarian rescue vessel the Viking Ocean to be operated in the central Mediterranean reflecting a renewed joint partnership between SOS MEDITERRANEE and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for the rescue of persons in distress at sea...

Rape at Sea, Flag State jurisdiction and the Search for Justice

15th April 201918th May 2019Abuse, Commentary, Cruise Industry, Flag State, Panama

Commentary 15th April 2019 London. UK. The alleged rape of a 17-year-old female UK national on the Panamanian flagged cruise ship MSC Divina as the ship sailed between Mallorca and the Spanish port of Valencia, brings to the forefront the issue of justice for victims of criminal acts at sea in international waters when under...

2019 Empowering Women Conference Speech by Sayedeh Hajar Hejazi

11th April 201931st July 2019Commentary, Conference, Event, Human Rights, Women at Sea, Women's RIghts

Press Release 11th April 2019 London.UK. Attending the 2019 Empowering Women in the Maritime Community conference at the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden, Human Rights at Sea legal researcher, Sayedeh Hajar Hejazi, submitted both a legal research paper to the University on ‘Seafarer Abandonment: An Iranian Perspective‘, as well as gave a powerful speech...

Indian Seafarers abandoned offshore Namibia threaten suicide over unpaid wages

29th January 201923rd March 2019Abandonment, Abuse, Case Studies, Commentary, MLC 2006, Reports, Seafarers

PRESS RELEASE 29 January 2019 “Save me from the mental agony I am going through” Chandra Rakesh Singh Negi, MV HALANI I crew member London. UK. Human Rights at Sea publishes its latest detailed case study with personal statements from a group of abandoned seafarers in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Eight Indian seafarers have been on...

Updated commentary on flagging issue of Aquarius SAR vessel

6th December 20186th December 2018Commentary, Mediterranean, MSF, SAR

COMMENTARY Thursday 6 December 2018 Geneva. Update to 3 December Press Release on flagging of the Aquarius Switzerland. The country of Henry Dunant, father of humanitarian principles, has responded to a popular request and parliamentary motion to allow the Aquarius, Search and Rescue (SAR) vessel of SOS Méditerranée and Médecins sans Frontières, to sail under...

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