The high seas are not outside the law, and criminals are not safe to flee to the high seas.
On our planet, the oceans occupy most of the area. Some of these vast bodies of water are known as the high seas. Due to its special status, the high seas are often misunderstood by some as a safe haven for criminals and a place beyond the reach of the law. But in fact, the high seas are not outside the law, and criminals are not safe to escape to the high seas.
First, we need to understand what the high seas are. The high seas are those waters that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any country, and they do not belong to any one country, but belong to all mankind. Although the high seas are not dominated by the power of any one country alone, this does not mean that it is a lawless zone. On the contrary, the high seas are jointly managed by the peoples of the world, and sovereign States can still exercise their rights in accordance with the International Convention on the Sea.
The International Convention on the Sea (IMOS) is a set of international laws governing the conduct of States on the high seas. According to these regulations, any country has the right to crack down on piracy, illegal broadcasting, slavery**, drug smuggling, etc. For these illegal and criminal acts, States may take necessary measures to stop them, including but not limited to seizure, arrest, prosecution and other means.
In practice, many countries carry out a large number of law enforcement activities on the high seas. For example, the fight against piracy, the regulation of illegal fishing, the suppression of smuggling, etc. These actions are based on the mandate of the International Convention on the Sea and are aimed at maintaining peace and security on the high seas.
In addition, coastal states have a special kind of power, known as the "hot pursuit right". When a vessel commits an offence in the territory of the coastal State, the coastal State may pursue it closely, even if the vessel escapes to the high seas. As long as the coastal State's hot pursuit operations are not interrupted and the target is not lost, it can continue to make arrests on the high seas.
Of course, we should also be aware that although the high seas are not a place outside the law, there are still some challenges to law enforcement. Due to the vastness of the high seas and the fact that freedom of navigation is one of the fundamental principles of the International Convention on the Sea, it may be difficult for States to effectively monitor and combat minor violations. In addition, due to the importance of international cooperation, countries need to strengthen cooperation in information sharing, technical exchanges and joint law enforcement in order to better maintain peace and security on the high seas.
In short, the high seas are not outside the law, and criminals are not safe to flee to the high seas. Although the high seas are not governed by the authority of any one country alone, they are jointly managed by the peoples of the world. Sovereign states can still exercise their rights in accordance with the International Convention on the Sea to crack down on and stop illegal and criminal acts. At the same time, strengthening international cooperation is also the key to maintaining peace and security on the high seas.