Somalis Want Pirates Repatriated

The Federal Government of Somalia has demanded that Kenya return of 92 imprisoned pirates due to what it considers poor living conditions. Somalia’s ambassador to Kenya, Gamal Mohamed Hassan, submitted the demand after recently visiting the Shimo La Tewa prison.

The Somali prisoners were convicted for hijacking vessels Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.

Hassan hopes the two nations can reach an agreement. According to reports, there are more than 1,000 incarcerated Somalian pirates throughout the world.

In July, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) approved the repatriation of 62 Somali pirates detained in Kenya as part of its Piracy Prisoner Transfer Program. UNODC has detention facilities Puntland and Somaliland to facilitate prisoner transfers.