UNIVERSAL JURISDICTION AS A MEANS OF ELIMINATING PIRACY

Abstract

Pirates, without any difference or discrimination attack ships at open see disrupting international marine trade and representing physical and economic threat to all nations in the world. This is the reason why these attacks are considered to be universally dangerous and grave since they include a special kind of criminal acts of cruel and heinous nature. These characteristics have created the basis for the claim of each state to have universal jurisdiction over piracy and prosecute foreign citizens and nationals for certain type of heinous crimes committed outside the boundaries of the prosecuting state. This doctrine was first asserted as a means for fighting piracy.