Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against public order - Piracy

92: Piracy

You could also call this:

“This law explains what happens to people who act like pirates on ships or planes, with big punishments for hurting others.”

If you do something that counts as piracy under international law, you can be punished in New Zealand, no matter where you did it. Piracy isn’t just about ships anymore - it can happen on planes too, whether they’re over water or land.

If you commit piracy and you kill someone, try to kill someone, or do something that could easily kill someone, you can go to prison for life. For any other kind of piracy, you might go to prison for up to 14 years.

Remember, piracy isn’t just about stealing things on boats. If you do something on a plane that would be considered piracy if it happened on a ship in the middle of the ocean, it’s still counted as piracy under this law.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM328572.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
Previous

91: Forcible entry and detainer, or

“Entering or staying on land without permission can get you in trouble”

Next

93: Piratical acts, or

“Actions considered piracy: attacking ships or planes, stealing goods, or causing trouble on board”

Part 5 Crimes against public order
Piracy

92Piracy

  1. Every one who does any act amounting to piracy by the law of nations, whether that act is done within or outside New Zealand,—

  2. shall upon conviction thereof be sentenced to imprisonment for life if, in committing piracy, he or she murders, attempts to murder, or does any act likely to endanger the life of any person:
    1. is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years in any other case.

      1. Any act that by the law of nations would amount to piracy if it had been done on the high seas on board or in relation to a ship shall be piracy for the purposes of this section if it is done on board or in relation to an aircraft, whether the aircraft is on or above the sea or is on or above the land.

      Compare
      • 1908 No 32 s 121