Pirateering ^hot^ Jun 2026

International law draws a sharp line between piracy and privateering, though both involve armed seizure of ships.

Modern pirateering is defined by a "nexus" between state strategy and criminal expertise: pirateering

Prosecuting pirateering is difficult because captured pirates are often released by nations lacking resources for trials. Regional courts (e.g., Kenya’s special piracy tribunal) and international efforts have achieved limited success. Privateering as a lawful practice is effectively extinct, but its ghost haunts modern conflicts where states use irregular maritime forces. International law draws a sharp line between piracy