Piracy kidnappings occur during piracy, when people are kidnapped by pirates or taken hostage. Article 1 of the United Nations International Convention against the Taking of Hostages defines a hostage-taker as "any person who seizes or detains and threatens to kill, to injure, or to continue to detain another person (hereinafter referred to as the 'hostage') in order to compel a third party namely, a State, an international intergovernmental organization, a natural or Juridical person, or a group of people, to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the hostage commits the offense of taking of hostages ("hostage-taking") within the meaning of this convention." Kidnappers often try to obtain the largest financial reward possible in exchange for hostages, but piracy kidnappings can also be politically motivated.
The coast of Somalia has been a piracy hot spot since the late 1990s, threatening state security and global trade.Reva, Denys (2018). "Ten years on, is Somali piracy still a threat?". Institute for Security Studies. 7 November 2018. During the early 2000s, the international community established multilateral anti-piracy initiatives such as the Combined Task Force 150; in 2008, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) enacted Resolution 1816 to combat piracy in the Somali region. The number of incidents decreased in that region after the international initiatives, but increased in West Africa (especially in the Gulf of Guinea).HDI Global (2020). "Maritime piracy rises again in 2020". 4 March 2021.BBC World Services, 2021. "Why is the Gulf of Guinea a piracy hotspot?". Africa Daily. Retrieved 26 March 2021. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) saw an increase in kidnappings in the Gulf of Guinea; 95 percent of all kidnappings of crew members of hijacked vessels took place in the gulf.Gard (2020). "Maritime piracy hotspots persist during 2020".International Chamber of Commerce (2020). "Gulf of Guinea records highest ever number of crew kidnapped in 2020, according to IMB's annual piracy report".
Maritime piracy
The United Nations defines piracy as "any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft" on the high seas, "against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board".Mason, R. C. (2010). Piracy: A legal definition. Congressional Research Service, 1–4. According to the International Marine Bureau, piracy may be considered "successful" when a vessel has been boarded by a person who is not authorised to board the ship and has criminal intentions. Two to six percent of piracy victims are foreigners; local residents are more often the target of piracy kidnappings.
Piracy incidents are often violent and include other crimes, such as drug, human or arms trafficking and illegal oil bunkering and theftEzeozue (2019). "Piratical Challenges in the Nigeria Ocean Space: Implication for National Security". International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science. 4 (10): 2454–6194. (the latter sometimes called petrol piracy). The number of foreigners targeted in piracy incidents, including expatriate aid workers, has increased since 2011. Such kidnappings may take place at sea, although land-based kidnappings also occur. Although Somalia (on the Horn of Africa) was the most common piracy-attack area between 2009 and 2013, Somali pirate activities decreased between 2011 and 2013. The Gulf of Guinea has been a recent hot spot for pirate attacks, and the international community became concerned as piracy attacks in West Africa exceeded the number of attacks by Somali pirates.Chambers, S. (2020). "Gulf of Guinea becomes this decade's Somalia as kidnapping cases soar". Splash 247, Retrieved 20 March 2021.Baldauff, Scott (28 February 2021). "Next pirate hotspot: the Gulf of Guinea". Christian Science Monitor. More international vessels are passing through the Gulf of Guinea, a valued route for international ships. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), Oceans Beyond Piracy and the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Program said that 966 sailors were attacked in 2012 by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, and the pirates aimed to receive quick financial rewards from selling stolen oil or demanding ransom. As more international powers (such as the US, China and other European states) are becoming targets of piracy, they have taken part in several anti-piracy and capacity-building operations to combat piracy. Military, financial, and political resources have been allocated to limit the risk of conflict.
Kidnapping for ransom
Definition Ransom kidnappings occur when kidnappers hold hostages and offer their release in exchange for meeting the pirate's demands, usually monetary payment. They may be categorised as criminal or political. In a criminal kidnapping, the kidnapper's goal is almost always financial gain for himself; in a politically motivated kidnapping, the kidnapper can demand certain actions or use a ransom to finance (or expand) political activities. Kidnapping for ransom differs from pathological kidnappings for sexual motives or family abductions. Due to the complexity of a kidnapping for ransom (arranging a location to keep hostages, obtaining a negotiator and channeling the ransom), an organisational structure is required. In kidnappings by pirates, organisation is needed at sea and on land.
Economics of hijacking In 2020, 135 maritime crew members were kidnapped for ransom by pirates; five were kidnapped in 2011. In the 2019 book Kidnap, researcher Anja Shortland described how kidnapping for ransom can be seen as a business model; in economic terms, kidnapping for ransom is a matter of supply and demand.EconTalk (2019). "Anja Shortland on Kidnap". Retrieved 22 March 2021. In kidnappings by Somali pirates, negotiations lasted from six to eighteen months. As the pirates discovered the value of international vessels, ransom demands increased and hostages were kept for a longer time. In contrast to Somali pirates, who took hostages for about 11 months, pirates of the Gulf of Guinea held hostages for four days.
To obtain the ransom, hostages were asked to make a list of people who could make (or contribute to) the payment. The higher ransoms became, the greater the expectation of obtaining financial rewards from the next kidnapping; this led to an increase in recruitment of young men attracted by money. The World Bank calculated that ransom payments are distributed as follows: 5.4 percent is spent on the sea pirates; 8.3 percent compensates investors and creditors, and the remaining 82.3 percent is disbursed amongst the people on land who assisted the pirates.
Annual turnover from ransom kidnapping is estimated as high as $1.5 billion. Holding hostages could be profitable from a business perspective, and kidnapping for ransom a profitable business model. If the ransom payment is delayed or too low, however, keeping a hostage alive and in good health could be inefficient. Employers can purchase kidnap and ransom insurance from insurance companies, such as Lloyd's.Shortland, A. (2017). "Governing kidnap for ransom: Lloyd's as a 'private regime. Governance. 30 (2): 283–299. Insurance is purchased without employee knowledge, to prevent it from influencing employee behavior. Insurance premiums rise if piracy incidents increase.
Ransom bans Some countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, refuse to negotiate with kidnappers. By not negotiating with hostage-takers, the countries hope to discourage kidnappers from abducting their nationals.Hopkins, N. (21 March 2012). "Judith Tebbutt case puts spotlight on government's ransom policy". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2021. Whether countries should implement a piracy-ransom ban is debated. Its effectiveness is uncertain, and such a policy is more applicable to situations in which foreign states are concerned about their nationals than cases involving local citizens.
Ransom dilemma Pirates will often harm or kill hostages if a ransom is not paid; from an economic perspective, hostages have no value if they cannot be used to gain financial rewards. Paying a ransom demanded by terrorists, militants, or pirates may be viewed as an ethical dilemma, however, because such a payment would reward criminal activity. Pirates may also use ransom payments for future kidnappings or other crimes.
Role of clans Factors influencing the emergence of piracy include economic inequality and youth unemployment, and it occurs in failed states lacking a centralised government and civil protection. Since rule-making institutions are absent, state control is often in the hands of corrupt officials; clans may assume the role of non-existent government institutions. Somalia's clan system (which has customary laws, supported by sharia) plays a significant role in the state's decision-making processes, and can influence pirate operation. Clan law may suggest that conflicts should be resolved peacefully, and violators may be penalized.
Pirates may make deals with coastal clans, who negotiate with other clans to grant safe passage to hijacked ships. They receive "protection money" in return from ransom payments, which are distributed fairly and peacefully. It is in the best interests of clan elders to provide a non-violent environment for hostages taken by pirates. In the Niger Delta, regional clans ensure that negotiations are quick and hostages are not mistreated. Handbooks were found during counter-piracy operations which stated, "Anyone shooting a hostage will immediately be shot"; pirates would be punished if hostages from hijacked ships were harmed.
In the media In some kidnappings, a "double injunction" may be issued; news media may not publish information about the kidnapping or the negotiation process, to prevent media reports from influencing negotiations. When the media reports a kidnapping, it is generally after hostages are released. In the case of the MV Leopard, a Danish ship which was captured in January 2011 with two Danes and four Filipinos held hostage for over two years,Safety4Sea (2014). "MV Leopard: The safety aspects of anti-piracy measures implemented". 12 November 2013. Danish authorities advised the media not to report the kidnappings to avoid influencing ransom negotiations."Foreign Ministry accused of trying to suppress coverage of pirate captives". The Copenhagen Post. (11 January 2013). Danish media followed the advice except for the tabloid Ekstra Bladet which wanted to publicize Danish hostages Søren Lyngbjørn and Eddy Lopez. Multi-millionaire ship owner John Arne Larsson was depicted unsympathetically, and ransom demands increased substantially. In May 2013, the hostages were released.Safety4Sea (2 May 2013). "Six Seamen Released from Pirates After More Than Two Years in Captivity". According to ship-company managing director Claus Bech, the ransom amount (which was not revealed) was "considerable millions".Holm Nielsen, Anders (2 May 2013). "Danish and Filipino hostages free after more than two years".
Geographic overview
Somalia