piracy
Definition of Piracy
Piracy is typically an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator (e.g. one passenger stealing from others on the same vessel). The term has been used throughout history to refer to raids across land borders by non-state agents.
Piracy or pirating is the name of a specific crime under customary international law and also the name of a number of crimes under the municipal law of a number of States. It is distinguished from privateering, which is authorized by national authorities and therefore a legitimate form of war-like activity by non-state actors. Privateering is considered commerce raiding, and was outlawed by the Peace of Westphalia (1648) for signatories to those treaties.
Those who engage in acts of piracy are called pirates. Historically, offenders have usually been apprehended by military personnel and tried by military tribunals.
Background of piracy
The roots of the word ‘piracy’ come from the ancient greek word ‘peiraomais’, meaning ‘attempt’. In the sense of an attempt to rob for brigand and then to the Latin ‘pirata’, where we get the modern English word ‘pirate’. In essence,it’s an act of robbery, committed on the high seas, flourishing in waters where law and order is absent and policing ineffective.
Piracy has existed since sea travel became possible.Initially, oars were used to power galleys during the Greek and Roman eras. Fast-sailing ships operated during the infamous ‘Golden Age of Piracy’ in the 18th century. Today speedboats and automatic rifles characterize the modern pirate preying on supertankers, container ships and leisure craft.
The first recorded pirates were the ‘Lukka’, a group of sea raiders who based themselves on the Mediterranean
Piracy is typically an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator (e.g. one passenger stealing from others on the same vessel). The term has been used throughout history to refer to raids across land borders by non-state agents.
Piracy or pirating is the name of a specific crime under customary international law and also the name of a number of crimes under the municipal law of a number of States. It is distinguished from privateering, which is authorized by national authorities and therefore a legitimate form of war-like activity by non-state actors. Privateering is considered commerce raiding, and was outlawed by the Peace of Westphalia (1648) for signatories to those treaties.
Those who engage in acts of piracy are called pirates. Historically, offenders have usually been apprehended by military personnel and tried by military tribunals.
Background of piracy
The roots of the word ‘piracy’ come from the ancient greek word ‘peiraomais’, meaning ‘attempt’. In the sense of an attempt to rob for brigand and then to the Latin ‘pirata’, where we get the modern English word ‘pirate’. In essence,it’s an act of robbery, committed on the high seas, flourishing in waters where law and order is absent and policing ineffective.
Piracy has existed since sea travel became possible.Initially, oars were used to power galleys during the Greek and Roman eras. Fast-sailing ships operated during the infamous ‘Golden Age of Piracy’ in the 18th century. Today speedboats and automatic rifles characterize the modern pirate preying on supertankers, container ships and leisure craft.
The first recorded pirates were the ‘Lukka’, a group of sea raiders who based themselves on the Mediterranean