Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Foreign Ministry office in Hadhramaut Governorate announced on Wednesday evening the release of Yemeni fishermen who had been detained in Somalia’s Puntland State. The release followed the issuance of an official pardon by the Puntland government for the crew of the vessel Maymoon-1, which also included the cancellation of all financial penalties and the return of all their confiscated equipment and personal belongings.
The official document, signed by Mahmoud Mohamed Ali, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Puntland, and addressed to judicial and administrative authorities in the state, stated that the decision was made in response to a formal request from the Yemeni Embassy in Mogadishu. It was also based on correspondence from the Yemeni government and framed within the historical and fraternal ties between the Yemeni and Somali peoples.
The document, addressed to the President of the Court of Appeals in Bargal, the judge of Ras Asir, and the regional governor and authorities, included clear instructions to pardon the crew, return the confiscated fishing equipment, and cancel the imposed fines in accordance with Puntland’s maritime laws.
Ambassador Salem Balfakeeh, Director General of the Foreign Ministry Office in Hadhramaut, explained that this decision was the result of intensive efforts and ongoing coordination between the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the local authority in Hadhramaut, the General Authority for Fisheries in the Arabian Sea, and Yemen’s Embassy in Mogadishu.
Ambassador Balfakeeh emphasized that this humanitarian gesture reflects the Somali authorities’ understanding of the fishermen’s situation and highlights the strong relationship between the two countries. He stressed the need for this crisis to serve as a starting point for activating and improving joint fishing agreements in a way that protects the interests and livelihoods of fishermen.
He also noted that relevant Yemeni authorities will continue to follow up on the release process in coordination with the General Authority for Fisheries until the fishermen return safely to Yemen, reaffirming ongoing cooperation with Somali counterparts to prevent similar incidents in the future.
