Italy’s Story on Marines is ‘Misleading’: India to Int’l Tribunal

India has asked for complete jurisdiction in the case as the incident happened in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Italian Marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone. (Photo: Reuters)

India has sought rejection of Italy’s plea to bring the Italian marines, accused of killing Indian fishermen off Kerala coast, back to Italy before the International Tribunal on Law of the Sea (ITLOS), in a two day hearing that started yesterday.

India’s submission to the UN tribunal also says that India has full jurisdiction in the case, calling Italy’s contentions in this regard were “misleading” as the incident took place in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Marines used automatic weapons without warning and shot in head and stomach of the two fishermen...This case is not covered by Article 97 of of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea but rather a double murder at sea.
— Neeru Chadha, Legal Advisor, Ministry of External Affairs and India’s Representative

Indian representatives further claimed that the proceedings in the tribunal in the wake of proceedings in the Indian Supreme Court constitute serious injustice to the memories of the deceased.

New Delhi needs confirmation from the international judicial chamber to excercise its criminal jurisdiction and try the two marines as criminals.

Italy has contented that the India has kept Sergent Girone, one of the accused, as hostage which was marked as highly inappropriate and offensive.