Pirates can claim UK asylum

From the Times:

The Royal Navy, once the scourge of brigands on the high seas, has been told by the Foreign Office not to detain pirates because doing so may breach their human rights.

Warships patrolling pirate-infested waters, such as those off Somalia, have been warned that there is also a risk that captured pirates could claim asylum in Britain.

The Foreign Office has advised that pirates sent back to Somalia could have their human rights breached because, under Islamic law, they face beheading for murder or having a hand chopped off for theft.

There's really no good choices here. If you don't arrest the pirates, the problem will get worse, and morale will suffer. There were 40 pirate attacks just last year. If you do arrest them, then you either have to grant them asylum, or they will be beheaded or mutilated. My guess is, the Royal Navy will try to just ignore the problem and see if it goes away.

(cross posted at appletree)