Human Rights at Sea joins the wider industry in calling for the protection of seafarers as war activities escalate in the Middle East. Persistence will be required to ensure they are not forgotten as the number of military and civilian casualties rises, says David Hammond, veteran and founder of the NGO Human Rights at Sea.
Additionally, the struggle of all seafarers and maritime workers elsewhere should not be forgotten, he says, calling for renewed visibility on the plight of Chief Mate Ali Albokhari, currently serving a 30-year term in a Turkish jail.
“A single case must not be ignored in the maelstrom of current global instability and conflict, as they are the factual reflection of underlying systemic issues equally applicable for the majority or seafarers.”
On 9 March, Albokhari’s 30-year sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in Turkey.
Albokhari was arrested in 2023 while working on the Panama-flagged Phoenician M after drugs were found in the vessel’s cargo holds. No evidence was found that linked any of the crew to the drugs, and all other crew members have long since been released from prison.
Meanwhile, Albokhari is suffering from increasingly serious health conditions due to poor prison conditions, fatigue, and his deteriorating mental health.
Albokhari’s wife Elena received a medical report on her husband in late February. “Before the contract that led to his arrest, my husband was a healthy and active person. He had no serious medical diagnoses and was able to work normally as a maritime officer,” she said. “Even shortly before the arrest, there were no significant health problems. The medical conditions listed in the report appeared only after he had already been imprisoned.”
Elena continues to fight for her husband’s release despite the Supreme Court decision. “My husband’s health is deteriorating rapidly, and we are afraid that he may not survive if nothing changes. We ask the Finnish government to use all available diplomatic and humanitarian channels to protect the life of a Finnish citizen. This is not only a legal matter anymore – it is a humanitarian emergency.
“My husband has already spent years in prison for a case where the alleged drugs were found in cargo, not in the possession of any crew member. We are simply asking for justice, transparency, and humanity.”
Behind every human tragedy that makes the headlines lies the on-going suffering of those still involved, says Hammond, highlighting how acts of war leave an enduring legacy of suffering in their wake. The fundamental human rights of those involved can easily be forgotten amidst the on-going tragedy caused by collective aggression.
“Justice requires dedication and commitment – not just from the family of seafarers but from all of us. Otherwise, seafarer welfare becomes an empty industry promise. We need to extend our vigilance beyond the daily news cycles, no matter the enormity of the tragedies they convey,” says Hammond.
ENDS.
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Source: Human Rights at Sea 2026.
AI. AI was not used in this article.
Photo Credit: Felicity Attard 2026.
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