Italy moves ITLOS in Marines case

 

The Italian Government has approached the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), one of the four forums available for international disputes, in the Italian Marines case.

Italy wants India to “refrain from taking or enforcing any judicial or administrative measures” and “ensure that restrictions on the liberty, security and movement of the Marines are immediately lifted.”

India has decided to oppose the plea when the case comes up for hearing at Hamburg, Germany, in August 2015
“Before ITLOS, we will be contending that India alone has jurisdiction to try offences within the country and that the tribunal has no jurisdiction,” Additional Solicitor General P.S Narsimha, who will be representing India at the Tribunal, told 

In a press statement on Friday, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) said its President, Judge Vladimir Golitsyn, had fixed August 10, 2015 for the opening of the public hearing in the Italian marines case.

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)which came into existence in 1994, has 21 members



Note

Two Italian Marines on board, Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Salvatore Girone, allegedly opened fire on an Indian boat, St. Antony, killing two Indian fishermen from Kerala in February 2012.

The Marines were arrested by the Kerala Police and the case was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

One of the Marines, Mr. Latorre, is presently in Italy on health grounds. The case has become a point of diplomatic tussle between India and Italy.