The Next Century Foundation’s Research Officer Olwyn Matthews addresses the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the growing concern surrounding the expansion of state authority on the High Seas, highlighting recent maritime enforcement practices that challenge established principles of international law and risk setting dangerous global precedents.
Full Text of the submission to the Human Rights Council:
The Next Century Foundation wishes to draw attention to the unlawful expansion of domestic authority on the High Seas, which undermines established principles of international maritime and humanitarian law and risks setting a dangerous precedent.
Recent seizures by the United States of America of “ghost fleets” in international waters, conducted as part of a pressure campaign against Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, operate within a legal grey area. Ambiguous interpretations of the right to visit vessels are used to advance domestic policy objectives beyond territorial jurisdiction, undermining the balance of lawful and unlawful intervention on the High Seas.
Further, U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in international waters, resulting in the deaths of shipwrecked crew members, demonstrate a disregard for established humanitarian and maritime legal norms.
These practices significantly impair the international community’s ability to contest similar conduct by other states. One example is the Israeli Navy’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in October 2025, during which at least 21 vessels were seized and peaceful civilians detained in international waters while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
We urge the United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn violations of Geneva Convention II, reaffirm the binding nature of international humanitarian law, and strengthen monitoring of ambiguous maritime practices to prevent unilateral interpretations from becoming a threatening model for behaviour on the High Seas.
