On 27 December 2022, Cameroon adopted Law No. 2022/017 of 27 December 2022 relating to the suppression of piracy, terrorism and offences against the safety of maritime navigation and platforms. In addition to the aforementioned offences listed in its title, Law No. 2022/017 also addressed other ‘unlawful acts at sea’ (Section 1(2)).
Piracy in defined in Section 2(2) of Law No. 2022/017 in a manner similar to Article 101 of UNCLOS, albeit with some notable differences. Unlike Article 101 of UNCLOS, acts of detention or depredation –as distinct from acts of violence– are not included in Section 2(2) of Law No. 2022/017, nor are acts of piracy involving aircraft. Law No. 2022/017 does however include ‘fixed or floating platforms’ within the definition of ship for the purpose of such offences (Section 2(1)). Similar to Article 102 of UNCLOS, Section 3(2) Law No. 2022/017 addresses piratical acts by mutinous warships or other government ships, again excluding the UNCLOS references to aircraft.
Section 4 of Law No. 2022/017 defines slightly modified offenses similar to most of those found in Article 3 of the SUA Convention, as well as Articles 2-3 of the Explosives Convention. Novel offences are included. Section 5 of Law No. 2022/017 defines offences similar to most of those found in Article 2 of SUA Platforms. Section 6 of Law No. 2022/017 defines offences similar to most of those found in Article 3bis of SUA Convention 2005 (Articles 3ter and 3quater do not appear to be addressed in Law No. 2022/017) and most of those found in Article 2bis of SUA Platforms 2005 (Article 2ter is not addressed). Section 6(b) of Law No. 2022/017 defines an offence similar to, but narrower, than Article 1 of the Hostages Convention. Section 7 of Law No. 2022/017 defines the offence of the illegal transport of minors, while Section 8 defines the offence of intentional pollution through the discharge of noxious substances (similar but distinct from Article 3bis(1)(ii) of SUA Convention 2005). Section 9 of Law No. 2022/017 defines an unauthorised broadcasting offence similar to Article 109(2) of UNCLOS. Section 10 of Law No. 2022/017 addresses a financing offence related to all the aforementioned offences, reflecting some of Article 2 of the Financing Convention, whilst be broader in other respects. Section 17 addresses conspiracies, attempts and accomplices to the aforementioned offences in Law No. 2022/017.
For further information see the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon.
De Maribus 