Extraterritorial Application of the European Convention on Human Rights at Sea

Abstract

We live in a world where we face countless crises and directly experience armed conflicts. The seas, such as the Red Sea, the Black Sea, and South China Sea hold strategic importance in these crises and conflicts. The sea is a unique and challenging environment, considering both its distinct physical characteristics and the jurisdictional issues. At sea, human rights can be compromised in various ways, and these cases often go unreported or they lack sufficient public awareness. It is also an expansive area to monitor, and the effectiveness of the police or military forces is sometimes hindered by limited resources or the reluctance to take action due to the non-compliance with legal regulations. It is the responsibility of the international community to encourage the authorities to prosecute the perpetrators by establishing a legal framework that effectively safeguards human rights and can be enforced by state authorities. This paper aims to explore the challenges of enforcing human rights during the arrest and detention process in cases of transnational crimes or violations of international law, such as piracy, terrorism, and drug trafficking committed on sea, involving the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.