A story of strength and hope: Standing up against seafarer criminalization; Algerian ordeal highlights slow pace on issue of seafarer criminalization

A story of strength and hope: Standing up against seafarer criminalization
Yashika F. Torib June 11, 2025 https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/06/11/business/maritime/a-story-of-stre...

Joy, Marie and Rose, wives of the three seafarers still being held in an Algeria prison awaiting final verdict by its Supreme Court plead their case to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PHOTO BY WILMAR ALMERIA
THIS week's profile is not about a prominent maritime leader, a popular executive, or a veteran seafarer.

Today's article encapsulates the story of three persons. All faceless, nameless, as they preferred to be.

They are women — wives of three seafarers who, after two years, remain imprisoned in a strange land, languishing in a cell crammed with foreign outlaws and felons.

The women entered the room quietly; their faces covered in sunglasses and black face masks. It took them a few minutes to respond when asked even with the most trivial of questions — "Have you eaten?" "Care for some coffee?"

No one knew what thoughts ran behind those hidden eyes, swollen with tears, probably. When asked for their names, the women grew uncomfortably still. They asked to use aliases, instead — Joy, Marie, and Rose.

Throughout the course of the day, amid the confusion, grief, and distress, the three women kept on forgetting these self-appointed names. Joy became Rose, Rose became Marie.

A group of people advocating for their plight sat with them, murmured words of encouragement, listened to their measured words intently, and patted their backs. The women's voices shook with controlled and pent-up emotions.

They were barely holding themselves together, so unlike a typical seafarer's wife — modest but glowing with quiet confidence and joy.

Their husbands are being held in a jail in Algeria for alleged drug trafficking. They were part of the eight Filipino crew who were arrested on July 28, 2023 when authorities discovered 35.8 kilos of cocaine onboard the ship; somewhere on the deck, according to initial investigation.

A ship's deck is accessible to passengers and shoremen who would go aboard.

The Croatian ship captain was excluded from the arrest and trial — a curious circumstance given that based on command responsibility onboard ships, accountability always falls on the ranking officer, in this case the captain.

"It is unclear to us why the five other Filipino crew were allowed to return home while our husbands had to remain," Rose said.

The seafarers who were left in jail are the ship's Bosun (Marie's husband), Ordinary Seaman (Rose's husband), and Chief Officer (Joy's husband).

They were sentenced to 15 years in prison, with a final trial in Algeria's Supreme Court this October.

The mere mention of this sentence finally broke the dam.

Rose, who was calm and composed the entire time, burst into tears.

"Fifteen years is no joke. I don't want our children to grow up without their father. I don't know how to explain this to them. Their grades in school have been affected," she lamented.

Marie continued to sob as she tried to express the grief of a wife.

"My husband is sick, he is suffering from diabetes. He is 53. What if his ailment worsens? Will we still see each other?" Marie said.

Seafarer's wives are usually accustomed to the distance and sorrow that comes with the job of their husbands. They endure six months to more than a year of long-distance relationships, depending on the contract signed by the seafarer.

The strain under which Joy, Marie, and Rose were under was way more difficult.

They weren't able to see and speak to their husbands for more than two years, save for the handful of times they were allowed to visit in Algeria. And instead of the slightly comforting knowledge that their husbands are safely working onboard a ship, they have to grapple with the reality that they are languishing in prison for charges that they have not committed.

"Our husbands are innocent. We know they are and it is unfair that they are paying for a crime they did not commit," Joy asserted.

"The government agencies have already met with us and said they are 'committed to the case.' But we need urgent help. We need action, not just assurance," Joy said.

Marie, 58, asked the president for assistance.

"President Marcos, please listen to our appeal. Our husbands are innocent. Please bring them home," she implored President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
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"We hope the President will listen to our appeal. We are appealing to him for a government-to-government process because 15 years is too much," Rose said.

Joy, Marie, and Rose seemed to be strong and steady women on any given day.

But that day was different. They had to plead, reveal their sorrow, weep, and bear the sympathizing gaze of strangers.

But it was not a moment of weakness. Joy, Marie and Rose exhibited a rare strength that can only be kindled in a protective mother and wife.

It was a subtle defiance of injustice. A united stand against seafarer criminalization. A show of strength amid a sea of tears.

After all, what purpose could be greater than fighting for one's family?

CIH June 11, 2025 https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/06/11/business/maritime/algerian-ordeal...

THE desperate appeal of three Filipino women who go by the aliases Joy, Marie, and Rose, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. this week has cast a harsh light on the protracted and often ineffective efforts to address the widespread issue of seafarer criminalization, particularly concerning drug-related incidents. Their husbands, crew members of the MV Harris, owned by Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, have been detained in Berrouaghia Prison in Algiers since July 2023, following the discovery of 35.8 kilograms of alleged cocaine on the deck of their ship while docked at Algiers Port.

Originally among eight Filipino seafarers arrested in July 2023 and subsequently sentenced by a lower court to 20 years imprisonment, their fates took a turn through an appeal process initiated by two lawyers provided by their principal, with additional support from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) through its Labor Attaché based in Tripoli, Libya. The court later amended the sentence, reducing their prison term to 15 years and acquitting five of the respondents. However, the husbands of Joy, Marie, and Rose now face the prospect of 15-year imprisonment in Algeria. While the families of the three seafarers continue to receive their salary even in prison, their wives are frantic that they would likely spend such a significant portion of their lives in jail. With their case now before Algeria's Supreme Court, which is expected to render a final judgment in October this year, the families' plea to President Marcos Jr. for direct intervention reflects a growing sense of urgency and frustration over the perceived lack of speedy diplomatic solutions from the government. "This October, their Supreme Court will decide on their fate — our last straw," one of the wives said in a recent press conference.

This case on the MV Harris is far from an isolated incident. It serves as a stark reminder of a much broader, systemic problem facing seafarers globally. International maritime bodies have consistently highlighted the alarming rise in cases where crew members, often innocent, are criminalized and detained for offenses committed on their vessels without their knowledge or involvement.

The "criminalization of seafarers" refers to the unjust detention, arrest, or prosecution of seafarers, particularly following maritime incidents or discoveries of illicit substances on board, despite a lack of direct evidence of their complicity. This often occurs in foreign jurisdictions with varying legal systems and limited protections for foreign nationals.

Organizations like the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and InterManager have been campaigning against this egregious practice.

The ITF has consistently labeled seafarer criminalization as "one of the most serious problems facing seafarers today." They have published toolkits and guidelines (e.g., in December 2023) outlining responsibilities and mechanisms for protecting seafarers in such circumstances. The ITF emphasizes that seafarers are often used as scapegoats after incidents. Their public "Criminalization List" actively tracks reported cases of unjust detentions, serving as a stark reminder of the scale of the issue. The ITF, along with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labor Organization (ILO), works on "Guidelines on Fair Treatment of Seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes," pushing for the right to remain silent and access to legal counsel.

Meanwhile InterManager, a global association for ship managers, has actively campaigned to bring this issue to light and collect comprehensive data. In early 2025 (January), InterManager highlighted the increasing concern and the lack of reliable data, identifying at least 118 cases of criminalization with a peak in 2023. They have published reports citing harrowing examples, such as that of Captain Andrzej Lasota, who spent nearly two years in Mexican jail without trial after cocaine was found on his ship. InterManager's data suggests that in 63 percent of cases, the ship's master is the one imprisoned, with tanker, bulk carrier, and general cargo vessel crews being most frequently affected. Their efforts aim to compile detailed statistics to share with the IMO and other stakeholders, pushing for urgent action.

According to these organizations, addressing seafarer criminalization is not merely a humanitarian concern; it is fundamental to the stability and future of the global maritime industry.

The constant threat of unjust detention deters individuals from pursuing seafaring careers. Without a sufficient pool of qualified seafarers, the industry, responsible for transporting over 80 percent of world trade, faces a critical labor shortage. Effective protection mechanisms would safeguard the existing workforce and attract new talent. The arbitrary detention of crew and vessels disrupts global supply chains, leading to delays, increased costs, and economic instability. When ships are seized or crew are jailed, cargo is left stranded, impacting businesses and consumers worldwide.

Seafarers, often working in isolation and far from home, are particularly vulnerable. Protecting them from criminalization upholds their fundamental human rights and ensures they receive fair treatment under international law, fostering a more just and ethical industry.
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Accordingly, resolving these complex cases requires dedicated international cooperation, bilateral agreements, and consistent application of maritime law. A unified stance against criminalization strengthens global maritime governance and promotes stability.

The families of the MV Harris seafarers represent thousands of others facing similar injustices. Their urgent plea to the Philippine President underscores the critical need for swifter, more decisive action from source countries to protect their citizens, and for the international community to finally implement lasting solutions to the pervasive issue of seafarer criminalization.