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Articles 1(c) and (d) of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that under sections 223 and 243 of the Merchant Navy Code, seafarers are punished for breaches of labour discipline (absence without leave from the vessel, refusal to obey after formal order) with sentences of imprisonment involving compulsory labour under section 40 of the Penal Code.

The Government stated previously that the authorities have decided to bring the provisions in question into conformity with the Convention during the current revision of the Merchant Navy Code and that, in practice, no sentence of imprisonment has been passed by judges on a seafarer committing a breach of labour discipline.

The Committee notes the Government's repeated statements that the above provisions of the Merchant Navy Code are currently being amended within the framework of the revision of the Merchant Navy Code. Noting that these provisions have been the subject of its comments for many years, the Committee hopes that the Government will soon be able to report the adoption of the necessary amendments to bring the Merchant Navy Code into conformity with the Convention.