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44 Somali pirates jailed for life in India seek prison transfer to Somalia
The men were convicted under anti-piracy act, as well as for kidnapping for ransom, criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, and possession of weapons
- PUBLISHED: Wed 22 Jul 2026, 2:22 PM
Forty-four Somali pirates sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in Mumbai have requested to serve their sentences in Somalia.
India and Somalia have had a transfer agreement for sentenced persons since 2017. The men were convicted under the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, as well as for kidnapping for ransom, criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, and possession of weapons.
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In the first case, 35 of the accused were arrested by the Indian Navy in December 2023 for abducting the crew of the MV Ruen, a Malta-flagged bulk carrier. The remaining nine were arrested on March 24 after two Indian Navy ships responded to a hijacking alert from an Iranian-flagged vessel in the Gulf of Aden.
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According to the prosecution, the pirates abducted and held the crew members hostage, demanded ransom, and threatened to kill them if their demands were not met. When challenged by Indian warships, they opened fire, which the prosecution described as terrorist acts. The accused were subsequently arrested and brought to India.
The special court in Mumbai sentenced all 44 of them to life imprisonment. All the accused had pleaded guilty to the charges. The court ruled that “the act of piracy on high sea by hijacking a vessel and keeping crew members hostage for ransom by attempting to kill them and to keep them as human shield and not obeying the lawful directions of Indian Navy are very serious things which cannot be taken casually."
The accused admitted to the charges but stated they were illiterate, impoverished, and responsible for supporting families in Somalia. They also cited the cordial relations between India and Somalia. Banm Abdi Jama, the only English-speaking defendant, informed the court that they faced hardships in Indian prisons due to food and language barriers. He added that, while video calls were possible, family members could visit them in person if they served their sentences in Somalia.
India and Somalia signed the Transfer of Sentenced Persons agreement in 2017, allowing nationals to serve sentences in their home country if both governments consent. The prosecution informed the court that the decision to transfer the prisoners rests with the Indian government.
