London Rally to Vent World Anger at Korean Jailing of Innocent Seafarers Called Off

News has been received from Korea early this morning that the ‘Hebei Two’, Captain Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan, have been bailed from jail, pending a final decision of the Supreme Court. Bail was set at $ 10,000 for each officer. Rally outside South Korean embassy in London to protest imprisonment of two men in South Korea called off.

For the first time the treatment of the Hebei Two has brought together global union federation ITF, ship owners’ and managers’ associations INTERTANKO, Intercargo and InterManager, the International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC) along with Indian Trade Unions, BIMCO and the International Group of P+I Clubs, to name but a few.

V.Ships’ Senior Management and all Trade Associations thank the Supreme Court in Seoul for this decision and the Korean Government, for the first positive steps in resolving this case.

In view of this morning’s announcement from Korea, all the Trade Associations and Unions involved in the planned action – V.Ships, the ITF, INTERTANKO, Intercargo and IMEC - have agreed to cancel the rally scheduled for January 23 in London. The participants believe that a postponement of the planned action will create a better environment for a successful resolution to this long running saga.

NOTE: The rally was intended to bring together organisations including global union federation the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), shipowners’ and managers’ associations INTERTANKO and Intercargo, the International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC), along with Indian trade unions, as well as leading ship management company V.Ships, which employs the two Indian seafarers now jailed in South Korea on charges of which they were found innocent only 6 months ago.