Selçuk Esenyel shared powerful insights on courage and responsibility while negotiating the rescue of 10 Turkish sailors from Paksoy-1.
Selçuk Esenyel discussed courage and responsibility on the TEDx stage.
Attorney Selçuk Esenyel, who narrated the negotiations for the rescue of 10 Turkish sailors kidnapped from the Paksoy-1 vessel, opened a discussion on the meaning of courage, responsibility, and the use of power on the TEDx stage. At the center of his narrative was the question of what a person would do in the face of a decision that affects the lives of others.
Founding Partner of Esenyel & Partners Law Office, Attorney Selçuk Esenyel spoke at the TEDxIstanbul University event themed 'Prism,' held on November 6, 2026, at the Çemberlitaş Youth Center. Esenyel evaluated the process of rescuing Turkish sailors kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Nigeria in 2019 through the moral responsibility that this experience imposed on him.
The incident that the talk was based on was the attack on the Paksoy-1 vessel on July 13, 2019. Of the 18 crew members on the Turkish-flagged ship sailing from Cameroon to Ivory Coast, 10 were kidnapped. Following the negotiation process in which Esenyel also participated, the sailors were released on August 9.
A responsibility beyond professional duty.
Esenyel explained that he first learned about the incident through the media and that when the request for help reached him, he was faced with a situation that went beyond the legal services he was accustomed to providing. The presence of families waiting for news in the shipowner's office transformed an abstract crisis file into a responsibility that confronted concrete human lives.
Despite his previous experiences in Africa, Esenyel noted that he did not have the same level of experience in hostage negotiations and stated that he made the decision to go to Nigeria under these circumstances. The philosophical weight of his narrative emerged here: How does a person decide between their own safety and the responsibility to help in a matter that will affect the lives of others?
The boundary of courage is defined by calmness.
Esenyel emphasized that 'courage is never the absence of fear,' stating that decisions made in difficult times require composure. He recalled that he had a family, a job, and people he feared losing, explaining his trip to Nigeria with the conviction that he needed to be there.
In this approach, courage gains meaning through the ability to make decisions while recognizing danger. The existence of fear is not seen as an obstacle to taking responsibility; rather, it serves as a warning function to think about the consequences of the decision. When it comes to the lives of others, good intentions must be accompanied by judgment and measure.
Esenyel also questioned his own decision in his narrative. He mentioned that at a stage where the negotiations had stalled and conditions had worsened, he entered a forested area, but today he finds this choice too risky in terms of his family. This self-criticism raised a second question about the limits of responsibility. How is the risk taken by a person to save another balanced against their responsibility to their own loved ones? Does a successful outcome automatically validate every decision made during that process? Esenyel's reevaluation of his past choice opened up a dimension of courage that accepts mistakes.
The purpose of power usage is important.
Esenyel discussed the importance of understanding the intentions of the people on the other side during negotiations and managing the process, questioning the purpose of power usage. He urged the audience to reflect on whether they were focused on finding a solution in a disagreement or on defeating the other party.
In this incident concerning human life, the measure of the negotiation was the safe return of the sailors. Therefore, understanding the behavior of the other side was crucial for calculating the consequences of the steps to be taken. The narrative also highlighted that questioning the purpose of the person holding power is part of the responsibility.
Who are the pirates in your life?
Esenyel brought his experience into the daily lives of the audience with the question, 'But who are the pirates in your life?' He reminded them that not everyone would face the danger of being kidnapped at sea, but they might have to make difficult decisions related to their work, family, or personal lives.
At the end of his speech, he directed attention to the possibility of changing one's own approach. Instead of wasting time trying to change the other person, he suggested questioning how one views the issue and how they respond to it. Thus, the Paksoy-1 experience turned into a call for reflection on which decisions a person can take responsibility for in the face of uncertainty.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
