The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is to pay for legal support for the court appeal of the ship’s crew members of the Seaman Guard Ohio.
ITF seafarers’ section chair Dave Heindel said: “We have now completed a full legal analysis of the court’s judgment and we firmly believe there are grounds for appeal. We will match our determination with funds. We hope that the – flag of convenience – flag state, Sierra Leone, will also be moved to help these seafarers.
“This is a clear case of criminalisation of the vessel’s crew. They have been sentenced for supposedly being in charge of weapons that they would never have handled. How can you imprison a ship’s cook for five years for weapons possession when the only thing he’s handled is pots and pans? It’s an injustice.
“We trust that this point will be accepted on appeal.”
He continued: “The real scandal is that the company responsible, AdvanFort, has been able to play fast and loose with rules, regulations, vessel registration and insurance, thereby dropping the ship’s crew and the armed guards into this mess. Having done so they have abandoned their employees and washed their hands of them. Given its behaviour throughout this affair, AdvanFort does not deserve to continue to exist in business.”
Human Rights at Sea CEO, David Hammond, has welcomed the positive news.
Hammond said “A number of maritime charities, UK organisations and other State’s Foreign Departments and Embassies have been fighting for recognition of and support for the plight of the Seaman Guard Ohio crew since their arrest on 12 October 2013. Their criminalisation has been plain to see over the last two years.”
“In the UK we have literally begged on behalf of the families for financial support to fund the crew’s legal costs over the past years, though previous calls have been ignored with some views expressed that as some of the crew are Private Maritime Security Personnel they are not afforded the same protections as seafarers. Had funding been made available based on existing evidence as presented in previous court hearings we believe that the crew could have had more comprehensive legal support from the outset not just in India, but also supported internationally to properly fight this case.”
“It has been the families, welfare organisations such as The Mission to Seafarers and for the UK crew, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Prime Minister, who have kept the issue alive. We understand that ITF has previously contributed to legal costs and the new financial pledge is clearly welcomed, but we hope that it will be extended for the full extent of the legal case in support of the families and not just for a singular appeal.”