Piracy or protest? The legal grey zone

Piracy or protest? The legal grey zone

Under international law, piracy is defined as any illegal acts of violence, detention or depredation committed for private ends against another ship or aircraft on the high seas or property located in areas beyond national jurisdiction. This definition, found in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), appears clear at first glance – but its key terms are particularly ambiguous. The notion of “private ends” is specifically c…