A Venezuelan-linked oil tanker, the Marinera, has been detained by US forces in the Moray Firth off Scotland's east coast. The vessel's captain, Avtandil Kalandadze, of Georgian nationality, is being held without charge or trial.
Natia Dzadzama, his wife and a lawyer, has lodged a judicial review petition at the court of session in Edinburgh, claiming her husband was unlawfully detained by US forces after he approached the naval blockade surrounding Venezuela. The lawyers argue that Kalandadze's detention is "unlawful" and that they are seeking protection for his rights under Scottish law.
The US had captured the vessel earlier this month as it traveled between Iceland and Scotland, with the ship initially flying the flag of Guyana before switching to a Russian flag. The UK's armed forces assisted in the operation but did not board the vessel.
A hearing on Monday evening granted an interim interdict, which prohibits the authorities from removing Kalandadze and the crew from the jurisdiction of the court. However, a full hearing is expected in the coming days.
Kalandadze's detention has sparked concerns among his family and supporters, with Dzadzama claiming her husband was "unlawfully being held in legal limbo without any recourse to a court or tribunal to vindicate his rights." The lawyers are now seeking an emergency order to prevent the ship and its crew from being removed from the jurisdiction of the Scottish court.
The situation has raised questions about the UK's role in enforcing US sanctions against Venezuela, as well as the treatment of detained vessels and their crews. As one lawyer stated, "We submit that Natia Dzadzama's husband was unlawfully detained... We are seeking the intervention of the Scottish court of session to protect the legal rights of her husband."
Natia Dzadzama, his wife and a lawyer, has lodged a judicial review petition at the court of session in Edinburgh, claiming her husband was unlawfully detained by US forces after he approached the naval blockade surrounding Venezuela. The lawyers argue that Kalandadze's detention is "unlawful" and that they are seeking protection for his rights under Scottish law.
The US had captured the vessel earlier this month as it traveled between Iceland and Scotland, with the ship initially flying the flag of Guyana before switching to a Russian flag. The UK's armed forces assisted in the operation but did not board the vessel.
A hearing on Monday evening granted an interim interdict, which prohibits the authorities from removing Kalandadze and the crew from the jurisdiction of the court. However, a full hearing is expected in the coming days.
Kalandadze's detention has sparked concerns among his family and supporters, with Dzadzama claiming her husband was "unlawfully being held in legal limbo without any recourse to a court or tribunal to vindicate his rights." The lawyers are now seeking an emergency order to prevent the ship and its crew from being removed from the jurisdiction of the Scottish court.
The situation has raised questions about the UK's role in enforcing US sanctions against Venezuela, as well as the treatment of detained vessels and their crews. As one lawyer stated, "We submit that Natia Dzadzama's husband was unlawfully detained... We are seeking the intervention of the Scottish court of session to protect the legal rights of her husband."
I'm literally on edge thinking about Avtandil Kalandadze and his wife Natia Dzadzama 
She's been going through so much already what if they don't get justice?! 
This reminds me of all the stories about US sanctions against Venezuela it's like a never-ending saga 
I just wanna see some transparency and accountability from both countries 
Fingers crossed that Natia Dzadzama gets that emergency order to keep her husband safe 
US forces detain oil tanker captain in Scotland, no charge? 
it's like he's playing some kind of maritime game... and now he's being detained by US forces. 
is it the UK, the US, or just kinda... everyone? and what happens when our nations start to step on each other's toes? do we become more or less accountable for our actions when we're operating in someone else's waters? 
it's almost as if the world has shrunk and we're all just floating around together, trying to figure out who gets to make the rules. 
. And what's up with the captain, Avtandil Kalandadze? He was just trying to navigate through the naval blockade around Venezuela and now he's stuck in limbo 
. It's like they say, "You can't silence a lawyer" 
... I wonder if this whole thing will end up being just another example of the US playing by its own rules 
it's like they think they're above the law or something... 
and meanwhile, natia dzadzama just wants to know why her husband wasn't treated fairly. 
it seems like a pretty complex situation, but from what I've gathered so far... the vessel was captured by the US while traveling between Iceland and Scotland, which already raises some questions about how this all went down. And now Natia Dzadzama is claiming her husband's detention was "unlawful"? 
that's a pretty big claim, especially since the US says they were enforcing sanctions against Venezuela? 
I'd love to see some more info on this before I can form an opinion... where did the UK come in, anyway? Were they just bystanders or did they play a role in detaining the vessel? 
. What's the deal with these naval blockades anyway? Are they just gonna keep stopping ships and detaining people without even charging them or something? 
? The UK's role in all this is also super murky - are they just sitting back and letting the US do its thing? It doesn't seem right...