Somali pirates get 439-year sentences

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: cnn

In a rare case, a Spanish court convicted two Somalia men of piracy in the 2009 takeover of a Spanish fishing vessel and sentenced each to 439 years in prison, according to a copy of the sentence viewed by CNN on Tuesday.

The long prison terms stem mainly from the conviction for illegal detention of the vessel's 36 crew members, with a sentence of 11 years for each count of piracy, or 396 years.

In addition, the defendants were convicted on three other counts, including armed robbery and belonging to a criminal gang, which boosted the overall sentence to 439 years.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/05/03/spain.pirates.convicted/index.html?eref=edition

[Leopolds Ghost]

1. Seems rather steep if they didn't kill anyone. But this is the Spanish fleet we're talking about.

They didn't used to even hang pirates like the British, they'd torture them to death. Because the freedom of commerce is the paramount right. Try and see a white collar criminal get 439 year sentence.

[damntexdem]

2. This is an inhumane outrage! They shouldn't get any more than ...

220 years in prison. ;-)

[Devil_Fish]

3. so they will be eligible for parole in about 4.5 years? NT

[saras]

4. and they never answered the big question

which is - what the fuck was a Spanish ship doing in Somalian waters in the first place, and why wasn't just torpedoing it a reasonable (and legal) response?