VICTORIA — The Seychelles has repatriated 23 Somalis it had been holding on suspicion of piracy for lack of evidence, an official statement said Sunday.

"We have taken the decision to repatriate the men because of the difficulty of bringing them to successful prosecution for acts of piracy," said Joel Morgan, the Indian Ocean archipelago's minister for environment, natural resources and transport.

"We do not have sufficient evidence for a trial to take place, and based on that we have respected international laws and repatriated them to their homeland," he added.

The statement said the 23 were flown back on Saturday but did not specify to where in Somalia.

Following the deployment of foreign naval powers off the coast of Somalia last year to curb spiralling attacks on one of the world's busiest maritime trade corridors, pirates expanded their area of operation.

Several attacks were carried out hundreds of miles away from Somalia and near the Seychelles' waters.

The Seychelles has sought international help in combating piracy, which it fears could undermine an economy heavily reliant on fishing and tourism, notably luxury cruises.

Of the hundreds of suspected pirates detained by regional or international navies over the past year, many have been released for lack of evidence and due to the lack of an appropriate legal framework allowing prosecution.

Copyright © 2009 AFP