Definizione e repressione della pirateria marittima nel diritto internazionale

The thesis is aimed to analysing the current legal framework of maritime piracy. Even though a comprehensive study could not avoid the issue of Somali piracy, the author tries to maintain a general view of the phenomenon so as to evaluate the entire regulation and consider the possible difference of the lex specialis applicable off the coast of Somalia. The analysis starts with the demonstration that the development of «the law of maritime piracy » is historically recent. Afterwards, the study will study the legal framework laid down in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in particular considering whether it is adequate to current development of the threat that piracy poses to the safety of navigation. Then, it considers the enforcement measures under both and efficiency and human rights compliance point of view. At last, the recent trend toward an assimilation between maritime piracy and terrorism will be taken into consideration.