Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PORTLOUIS411
2009-12-22 12:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Louis
Cable title:
SEYCHELLES SERIOUS ABOUT PIRACY PROSECUTIONS;
how-toVZCZCXRO2761 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHPL #0411 3561207 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221207Z DEC 09 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4893 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000411
SIPDIS
L FOR JLANDSIDLE; S/P FOR PHARRELL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPIR MARR PHSA EWWT PBTS SE
SUBJECT: SEYCHELLES SERIOUS ABOUT PIRACY PROSECUTIONS;
HIGH-SECURITY WING TO BE BUILT AT PRISON
REF: A. (A)PORT LOUIS 00402
B. (B) PORT LOUIS 0143
C. (C) PORT LOUIS 0169
Classified By: CDA Barrie Walkley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000411
SIPDIS
L FOR JLANDSIDLE; S/P FOR PHARRELL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPIR MARR PHSA EWWT PBTS SE
SUBJECT: SEYCHELLES SERIOUS ABOUT PIRACY PROSECUTIONS;
HIGH-SECURITY WING TO BE BUILT AT PRISON
REF: A. (A)PORT LOUIS 00402
B. (B) PORT LOUIS 0143
C. (C) PORT LOUIS 0169
Classified By: CDA Barrie Walkley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Seychelles will charge the eleven
recently-captured Somalis with piracy, but arraignment has
been delayed for two weeks. Seychelles has accepted an offer
from UNODC and the EU to construct a 40-bed maximum-security
wing at the country's only prison to house pirates and other
high-risk prisoners. END SUMMARY
2. (U) The eleven Somali pirates seized by the Seychelles
Coast Guard vessel "Topaz" on December 6 were scheduled to be
formally arraigned in court in Victoria on December 18. At
the court hearing, however, the Attorney General was granted
an additional 14 days to prepare the case.
3. (C) In a meeting later the afternoon of December 18,
Jean-Paul Adam, Secretary of State at the Presidency, assured
CDA Walkley that Seychelles is serious about piracy issues
and that the eleven Somalis seized by the "Topaz" will be
prosecuted on piracy charges (Seychelles law is based on
British common law and the Attorney General believes there
are sufficient precedents to allow the eleven to be charged
with piracy, rather than some lesser crime). Adam blamed the
arraignment delay on the shortage of Somali-speaking
translators in Seychelles, which has held up questioning of
the eleven. (FYI: At least one additional translator arrived
in Seychelles December 19).
4. (C) Adam says Seychelles continues to believe the case
against the eleven is virtually airtight: pirates on the
skiffs fired at the "Topaz" and were then captured, there was
continuous overhead observation by an EU surveillance plane,
the mother ship had weapons on board (3 AK-47s, ammunition, 1
RPG projectile -- plus 2 cellphones and a GPS, which it is
hoped may provide additional information. Other weapons were
lost when the two skiffs sank). The incident occurred at
approximately 50 degrees east and 4 degrees south.
5. (C) In the past, Seychelles has been reluctant to charge
pirates because of the problem of housing them after trial.
Montagne Posee Prison, located in Victoria and the only penal
facility in Seychelles, is already overcrowded and contains
no high-security section. That problem is about to be
solved: on December 16, the Seychelles government formally
accepted a UNODC/EU proposal for the construction of a
maximum-security wing at the prison to house pirates and
other "high-risk" criminals. The UNODC/EU proposal totals
approximately 2.5 million dollars and includes construction
of the new 40-bed wing, along with programs to provide guard
training and uniforms. According to Matthew Forbes, the
British High Commissioner, construction is to start in
January, with a target completion date of April/May 2010.
6. (C) Jean-Paul Adam insists that Seychelles does not want
any pirates housed with the general prison population,
fearing a "radicalization" or "contamination" of local
prisoners. Nor, however, does Seychelles want the appearance
of a "pirate gulag." The solution, thus, is the wing for
high-risk prisoners, including pirates. FYI: The eleven
Somali pirates are currently being held at a local police
station.
7. (C) COMMENT: The decision of the Seychelles to prosecute
the eleven Somalis for piracy (rather than a lesser charge)
is a breakthrough which might serve as a precedent for trials
elsewhere. The agreement for construction of the
high-security wing at the prison in Victoria is also a
breakthrough (Seychelles had been pushing for a new prison to
be built on Coetivy Island, about 200 miles out from
Victoria). It remains to be seen, however, how many
additional pirate cases Seychelles will be willing to accept
and prosecute, especially if those case do not have the
direct Seychelles connection offered by the "Topaz" incident.
WALKLEY
SIPDIS
L FOR JLANDSIDLE; S/P FOR PHARRELL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPIR MARR PHSA EWWT PBTS SE
SUBJECT: SEYCHELLES SERIOUS ABOUT PIRACY PROSECUTIONS;
HIGH-SECURITY WING TO BE BUILT AT PRISON
REF: A. (A)PORT LOUIS 00402
B. (B) PORT LOUIS 0143
C. (C) PORT LOUIS 0169
Classified By: CDA Barrie Walkley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Seychelles will charge the eleven
recently-captured Somalis with piracy, but arraignment has
been delayed for two weeks. Seychelles has accepted an offer
from UNODC and the EU to construct a 40-bed maximum-security
wing at the country's only prison to house pirates and other
high-risk prisoners. END SUMMARY
2. (U) The eleven Somali pirates seized by the Seychelles
Coast Guard vessel "Topaz" on December 6 were scheduled to be
formally arraigned in court in Victoria on December 18. At
the court hearing, however, the Attorney General was granted
an additional 14 days to prepare the case.
3. (C) In a meeting later the afternoon of December 18,
Jean-Paul Adam, Secretary of State at the Presidency, assured
CDA Walkley that Seychelles is serious about piracy issues
and that the eleven Somalis seized by the "Topaz" will be
prosecuted on piracy charges (Seychelles law is based on
British common law and the Attorney General believes there
are sufficient precedents to allow the eleven to be charged
with piracy, rather than some lesser crime). Adam blamed the
arraignment delay on the shortage of Somali-speaking
translators in Seychelles, which has held up questioning of
the eleven. (FYI: At least one additional translator arrived
in Seychelles December 19).
4. (C) Adam says Seychelles continues to believe the case
against the eleven is virtually airtight: pirates on the
skiffs fired at the "Topaz" and were then captured, there was
continuous overhead observation by an EU surveillance plane,
the mother ship had weapons on board (3 AK-47s, ammunition, 1
RPG projectile -- plus 2 cellphones and a GPS, which it is
hoped may provide additional information. Other weapons were
lost when the two skiffs sank). The incident occurred at
approximately 50 degrees east and 4 degrees south.
5. (C) In the past, Seychelles has been reluctant to charge
pirates because of the problem of housing them after trial.
Montagne Posee Prison, located in Victoria and the only penal
facility in Seychelles, is already overcrowded and contains
no high-security section. That problem is about to be
solved: on December 16, the Seychelles government formally
accepted a UNODC/EU proposal for the construction of a
maximum-security wing at the prison to house pirates and
other "high-risk" criminals. The UNODC/EU proposal totals
approximately 2.5 million dollars and includes construction
of the new 40-bed wing, along with programs to provide guard
training and uniforms. According to Matthew Forbes, the
British High Commissioner, construction is to start in
January, with a target completion date of April/May 2010.
6. (C) Jean-Paul Adam insists that Seychelles does not want
any pirates housed with the general prison population,
fearing a "radicalization" or "contamination" of local
prisoners. Nor, however, does Seychelles want the appearance
of a "pirate gulag." The solution, thus, is the wing for
high-risk prisoners, including pirates. FYI: The eleven
Somali pirates are currently being held at a local police
station.
7. (C) COMMENT: The decision of the Seychelles to prosecute
the eleven Somalis for piracy (rather than a lesser charge)
is a breakthrough which might serve as a precedent for trials
elsewhere. The agreement for construction of the
high-security wing at the prison in Victoria is also a
breakthrough (Seychelles had been pushing for a new prison to
be built on Coetivy Island, about 200 miles out from
Victoria). It remains to be seen, however, how many
additional pirate cases Seychelles will be willing to accept
and prosecute, especially if those case do not have the
direct Seychelles connection offered by the "Topaz" incident.
WALKLEY