France

Court brands ferry strikers pirates

Article published on the 2009-12-02 Latest update 2009-12-02 17:18 TU

The Pascal Paoli ferry
(Photo: France 3)

A court in the southern French port city of Marseille gave two sailors suspended sentences, effectively branding them pirates for diverting a ferry during a 2005 strike against the privatisation of the Marseille-Corsica ferry line.

Alain Mosconi, the leader of the group, was given a one-year suspended sentence for “sequestration and taking undue command of a ship”. Félix Dagregorio was given a six-month suspended sentence for kidnapping.

They will both have to pay symbolic damages of one euro, plus interest, to the French association of ship captains. Two other defendants had their cases dismissed.

“A year suspended sentence is pretty serious,” said Mosconi after the judgement. "Justice functions according to class. The workers are the losers in this fight."

The prosecution called for suspended sentences of 18 months to two years for the defendants, who are members of the Corsican workers trade union.

On 27 September 2005, after 23 days of strike action against privatisation, the workers took over the Pascal Paoli ferry from Marseille port and set sail for Corsica.

They were arrested the day after an operation by the French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, a specialist hostage rescue unit.

Lawyers of the convicted for the men say they are considering whether to appeal.