Forty-three Somali men accused of piracy have asked an Indian court to let them plead guilty after spending about two years in judicial custody, saying they have faced severe hardship in prison due to language, cultural and dietary differences, according to court filings.
The men, arrested in two separate Indian Navy operations in March 2024, said their decision to plead guilty was voluntary.
They acknowledged they could face the maximum sentence but appealed to the court and the Indian government for leniency, saying it was their first offence.
“We are poor citizens of an ally country with good diplomatic relations with the Government of India,” the plea said.
Hijacked fishing vessel
Nine of the accused were arrested after the Indian Navy intercepted an Iranian fishing vessel carrying a 23-member Pakistani crew that had allegedly been hijacked by pirates.
In a separate operation later that month, authorities arrested 35 other Somali men accused of hijacking a merchant vessel. One defendant in the second case has not joined the guilty plea.
Special Public Prosecutor Ranjeet Sangle confirmed that the applications had been filed. The special court adjourned the case until July 20 to allow the accused time to reconsider their pleas. If the court accepts the applications, it may proceed directly to sentencing without a full trial.
In March 2026, Somalia’s ambassador to India, Dr. Abdullahi Mohamed Odowa, visited the Somali nationals held in a Mumbai prison and attended the first hearing of their trial, according to Somalia’s embassy.
Diplomatic efforts
The embassy said the visit was part of diplomatic efforts by Somalia’s foreign ministry to help advance the long-delayed proceedings.
The embassy said the ambassador expressed hope that the remaining hearings would be expedited and that the Somali nationals would eventually regain their freedom.
The defendants face charges including kidnapping for ransom, criminal conspiracy and offences under India’s Maritime Anti-Piracy Act. The most serious charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The accused were initially represented by a lawyer arranged through the Somali embassy, but the court later appointed legal aid counsel after they told the court they did not have legal representation. Their former lawyer, Vishwajeet Singh, said the guilty pleas were filed without his advice and were “not an informed legal decision.”
