World Court rules Colombia must cease activities in Nicaraguan maritime zone

Judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday ruled that Colombia must "immediately cease" patrolling and trying to control fishing activities and maritime research in parts of the western Caribbean that the court said are part of Nicaragua's exclusive economic zone in those waters.

"The court (...) finds that by interfering with fishing and marine scientific research activities of Nicaraguan flagged or Nicaraguan licensed vessels and with the operations on Nicaraguan naval vessels in the republic of Nicaragua's exclusive economic zone and by purporting to enforce conservation measures in that zone, the republic of Colombia has violated the republic of Nicaragua's sovereign rights and jurisdictions," presiding judge Joan Donoghue said, adding Bogota must "immediately cease" those activities.