Will Coldwell Reported On An Injustice In The World of Merchant Shipping

For The Guardian, Will Coldwell “took a closer look at the case of Ali Albokhari, a Finnish seafarer who was arrested in October 2023 after Turkish police found cocaine on board his cargo ship. While no evidence has been presented linking Ali to the drugs, he was convicted on the basis of ‘command responsibility’ and sentenced to 30 years. The case reveals much about the fragile systems that hold maritime infrastructure together, and the way seafarers can slip between the cracks – falling victim to negligent companies, corrupt states and criminal enterprises. While Ali’s story has been widely reported in the maritime press it has had little coverage elsewhere. This in itself speaks to a gap in public understanding relating to the complex – and worsening – conditions facing seafarers.”