Unfortunate that trial can't be held in India: Kerala CM on Italian Marines case, says State not in favour of withdrawing case from SC

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 4 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday has said that that it is "unfortunate" that the trial of the Italian marines cannot be held in India and the State was not in favour of withdrawing the case from the Supreme Court.
"It is highly unfortunate that the trial cannot be held in our country. What we are understanding from media reports is that India could not present strong arguments. It was reported that India could not place strong arguments in the tribunal. It is unfortunate," he said in a statement.
Vijayan's response comes a day after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague in The Netherlands held that the two Italian marines, accused of killing Indian fishermen in 2012 off the coast of Kerala, will not be tried in India. The Central Government on Friday submitted before the Supreme Court that it has accepted the decision and sought closure of the case.
The Arbitration Court had ruled that India is entitled to claim compensation from Italy and observed that the two marines had violated international law and, as a result, Italy breached India's freedom of navigation, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
"What they said about compensation. The country has to take strong measures to ensure compensation. The state does not agree with closing the case, we will inform the Central government about the state's emotion in this matter," Vijayan added.
The Central government, in its plea before the apex court, had pointed out the tribunal's decision in the matter was final, without appeal.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague in the Netherlands had on Thursday given its decision saying that the Italian marines - Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone -- will not be tried in India.
The Arbitration Court had ruled that India is entitled to claim compensation from Italy and observed that the two marines had violated international law and, as a result, Italy breached India's freedom of navigation, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
However, the tribunal held that the marines are entitled to immunity and precluded India from exercising its jurisdiction over them.
The Centre told the Apex Court that it accepts and abides by the international tribunal's decision in the killings of two fishermen by Italian Marines. The Tribunal has ruled for a trial of Marines in Italy.
According to Indian prosecution, on February 15, 2012, two Indian fishermen were killed off the coast of Kerala by the two Italian marines on-board the Italian-flagged commercial oil tanker MV Enrica Lexie. (ANI)