PRESS RELEASE
16 October 2018
London. UK. Human Rights at Sea is pleased to report the successful repatriation of an Ethiopian Chief Officer with outstanding wages owed which have now been paid in full after direct, but polite intervention by the charity. The case was led by HRAS Iranian intern, Sayedeh Hajar Hejazi.
The charity was contacted by the seafarer who was abandoned on Kish Island, Iran, on 12 October and where he outlined that having completed a six month contract, he had been extended by four further months without pay before the owner had deducted two months and twenty days salary without permission. The charity received corroborated evidence of sign off and wage deductions.
The charity spoke with the crew manager after which the Chief Officer’s wages were reimbursed and a flight home expeditiously arranged. The crew manager stated that in the case of the seafarers wages: “[the] entitlement has been sent from Dubai, it takes few days to received it in Iran, I take care of his rights”.
Human Rights at Sea has previously highlighted the case of abandonment on Kish Island in a recent case study, and continues to receive evidence of the continuing practice.
HRAS Comment. This case is one where the rights of the seafarer were eventually respected and acted on after direct intervention, though this can not always be guaranteed. The charity is pleased to assist seafarers whenever and wherever they can, but if unable to do so it will pass on their details to other welfare organisations who may be able to help. The charity believes in a collective response from all welfare stakeholders in the ongoing fight for seafarers’s human rights and effective remedy for abuses.