The Commonwealth Council,
Continuing to be concerned by the growing threat that piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels pose to the situation in Ereion and other States in the region, as well as to international navigation, the safety of commercial maritime routes and the safety of seafarers and other persons, and also concerned by the increased level of violence employed by pirates and persons involved in armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion,
Emphasizing the importance of finding a comprehensive solution to the problem of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the international waters off the coast of Ereion,
Recognizing the sovereignty of Ereion over its territorial waters in the Strait of Levantine, without regard to the status of the de jure governing entity that exists or may exist within Ereion, and demands Member States refrain from activities that may violate this sovereignty,
Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so, to take part in the fight against piracy and armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion, in particular by deploying naval vessels, arms and military aircraft and through seizures and disposition of boats, vessels, arms and other related equipment used in the commission of piracy and armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion, or for which there are reasonable grounds for suspecting such use,
Calls upon Member States and other States or organizations cooperating with the Commonwealth in the fight against piracy in the international waters off the coast of Ereion to further increase their coordination to effectively deter, prevent and respond to pirate attacks,
Commending those Member States that have amended their domestic law in order to criminalize piracy and facilitate the prosecution of suspected pirates in their national courts, and stressing the need for Member States to continue their efforts in this regard,
Urges all Member States, especially States in the region, to criminalize piracy under their domestic law, emphasizing the importance of criminalizing incitement, facilitation, conspiracy and attempts to commit acts of piracy;
Recognizes that piracy is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction and in that regard reiterates its call on States to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates apprehended in the international waters off the coast of Ereion,
Underlines the need to investigate and prosecute those who illicitly finance, plan, organize, or unlawfully profit from pirate attacks, recognizing that individuals and entities who incite or intentionally facilitate an act of piracy are themselves engaging in piracy,
Invites Member States to examine their domestic legal frameworks for detention at sea of suspected pirates to ensure that their laws provide reasonable procedures, and also invites States to examine domestic procedures for the preservation of evidence that may be used in criminal proceedings to ensure the admissibility of such evidence,
Underlines the importance of continuing to enhance the collection, preservation and transmission to competent authorities of evidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the international waters off the coast of Ereion, and welcomes work of industry groups to assist in providing guidance to seafarers on preservation of crime scenes following acts of piracy, noting the importance for the successful prosecution of acts of piracy of enabling seafarers to give evidence in criminal proceedings,
Urges Member States to share evidence and information for anti-piracy law enforcement purposes with a view to ensuring effective prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates,
And urges both State and non-State actors affected by piracy, most notably the international shipping community, to provide support for the above-mentioned judicial and detention-related projects.