New Delhi:

An intercontinental tribunal dealing with the killing of two Indian fishermen in 2012 by two Italian marines has upheld the conduct of the Indian authorities about the incident, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs stated on Thursday.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava mentioned the tribunal upheld the conduct of the Indian authorities under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Regulation of the Sea (UNCLOS).

India experienced accused the two Italian marines on board the MV Enrica Lexie, an Italian flagged oil tanker, of shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coastline on February 15, 2012.

The Arbitral Tribunal was constituted under Annex VII of the UNCLOS on June 26, 2015 on the ask for of Italy above the dispute.

Mr Srivastava claimed the tribunal held that the actions of the Italian armed forces officers and, consequently, Italy breached India’s independence of navigation beneath UNCLOS Short article 87(1)(a) and 90.

“The Tribunal observed that India and Italy had concurrent jurisdiction more than the incident and a legitimate lawful basis to institute criminal proceedings towards the marines,” Mr Srivastava reported at an on the internet media briefing.

“The Tribunal turned down Italy’s declare of payment for the detention of the marines. Having said that, it discovered that the immunities enjoyed by the marines as State officials work as an exception to the jurisdiction of the Indian courts and, hence, preclude them to choose the marines,” he added.