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Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise ship case

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The Arctic Sunrise in 2007.

The Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise ship case is a criminal case opened by the Investigative Committee of Russia following an attempt to board a Russian oil-rig by a group of Greenpeace activists against oil exploration near the Prirazlomnaya oil rig in the Barents Sea. According to Phil Radford, Executive Director of Greenpeace in the U.S. at the time, the reaction of the Russian coast guard and courts were the "stiffest response that Greenpeace has encountered from a government since the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior in 1985."[1]

Background

Satu Hassi points out that according to James Hansen the use of Arctic oil means “game over”. Greenpeace aims to protect not only the Arctic nature but also the future of mankind.

On September 18, 2013, Greenpeace activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise ship attempted to climb onto the rig and stop it from working, in protest against what they say is the high risk to the environment of offshore in the Arctic. Russian coastguards descended from helicopters onto the Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise, threatening the crew with knives and guns.[2]

The next day, on September 19, the ship was seized by the coast guard and towed to the port of Murmansk. All of the 30 people on board were taken to a detention facility there for questioning, and on September 27 were jailed by a court. 22 were put in custody for two months pending an investigation and the other eight were detained for three days pending a new hearing. They are now under investigation for piracy, which in Russia carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years.[3][4][5] On the 23rd of October the charge of piracy has been dropped and replaced by a charge for aggravated hooliganism with a maximum sentence of seven years.[6][7]

Activists

Activists by nationality:

  • Argentina: Activist Camila Speziale, second mate Miguel Hernan Perez Orz
  • Australia: Radio operator Colin Russell
  • Brazil: Deckhand Ana Paula Alminhana Maciel
  • Canada: Bosun Alexandre Paul, first mate Paul D Ruzycki
  • Denmark: Third mate Anne Mie Roer Jensen
  • Finland: Activist Sini Saarela
  • France: Deckhand Francesco Pisanu
  • Italy: Deckhand Cristian D'Alessandro
  • Netherlands: Campaigner Faiza Oulahsen, chief engineer Mannes Ubels
  • New Zealand: Boat mechanic Jonathon Beauchamp (pictured), electrician David John Haussmann
  • Poland: Activist Tomasz Dziemianczuk
  • Russia: Spokesman Roman Dolgov, photographer Denis Sinyakov, Dr Yekaterina Zaspa, press officer Andrei Allahverdov
  • Sweden: Campaigner Dima Litvinov
  • Switzerland: Activist Marco Weber
  • Turkey: Volunteer assistant cook Gizhem Akhan
  • UK: Communications officer Alexandra Hazel Harris, videographer Kieron Bryan, logistics co-ordinator Frank Hewetson, activist Anthony Perrett, activist Philip Ball, 2nd engineer Iain Rogers
  • Ukraine: Cook Ruslan Yakushev [8]
  • US: Captain Peter Henry Willcox[5]

Responses

One of the jailed people is the award-winning Russian photographer Denis Sinyakov, whose jailing led to protests by the Russian Union of Journalists and the international group Reporters Without Borders.[3] According to Alexei Simonov, head of Glasnost Defense Foundation, a Moscow-based rights group, Sinyakov was only covering the actions of Greenpeace activists in the Barents Sea and has nothing to do with the group's agenda, saying: "The authorities violated all norms and laws by keeping Sinyakov in prison ... I must say it again and again that Russian justice system is designed by the Kremlin not to look for real culprits to be punished but to punish and scare those who don't suit the authorities."[9] Sinyakov posted on his Facebook account an image of a hooded Russian coast guardsman pointing a handgun at the boat. When the first two activists were detained, Sinyakov wrote: “I call upon you to join the struggle for freeing these activists, who sincerely see Arctic exploration as malignant.” He was subsequently detained.[citation needed] The top trans-Atlantic security and rights group, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, also demanded Sinyakov's immediate release. Several Russian media outlets, including the lenta.ru site and a private but Kremlin-friendly[citation needed] national TV station, NTV, took all pictures off their websites in a show of solidarity with the jailed photographer.[5] In Paris, a few dozen Greenpeace activists protested in front of the Russian Embassy on September 27, waving banners with images of the incarcerated activists and the word "FREE" written over them.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but says the Russian judicial process must run its course.[10]

Eleven Nobel prize-winners have written to Vladimir Putin asking the Russian president to drop charges against Greenpeace activists and journalists.[11]

Six men broke in Greenpeace office in Murmansk and stole materials.[12]

The Netherlands asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea 21. October to order Russia to release a Greenpeace ship and the activists who were on board. [13] However, Russian government annonced that it will not participate in the hearings, pointing out that back in 1997, when it ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it refused to acknowledge the settlement procedures, which result in mandatory decisions in disputes over sovereign rights and jurisdictions.[14]

Greenpeace announcements

Greenpeace activists have demanded to save the Arctic and concentrate in the protest reasons and objectives and targets.

According to Greenpeace charges of piracy against peaceful activists has no merit in international law. Greenpeace rejected suggestion of illegal drugs on the Arctic Sunrise. Certain medical supplies are kept in a safe. The Russian authorities broke the safe after they took the vessel.[15]

According to Dutch Greenpeace member the condition of the Greenpeace ship is worsening, as the Russian officials pose risk by is not taking properly care of the vessel.[16]

International reaction

11 Nobel peace laureates wrote to Putin, calling on him to drop the "excessive" charges of piracy:

German chancellor Angela Merkel expressed Vladimir Putin concerns over the arrest of Greenpeace activists because of the Arctic drilling protest, and urged a swift resolution of the case.[18]

William Hague, the foreign secretary UK, has been negotiating with Russian ministers over the fate of the six British nationals involved.[19]

According to Julia Marton-Lefevre, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature oil and gas exploring in the Arctic would have drastic consequences and the world should find low-carbon sources of energy.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ Lally, Kathy; Englund, Will. "U.S. Greenpeace captain jailed in Russia". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10/02/13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ Walker, Shaun. "Greenpeace activists denied bail by Russian court considering piracy charges", The Guardian, September 26, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Greenpeace Activists Face 2 Months in Russian Jail Pending Charges", RIA Novosti, September 26, 2013.
  4. ^ Vasilyeva, Nataliya. Associated Press, Greenpeace To Appeal Activists’ Jailing In Russia", ABC News, September 27, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Greenpeace to appeal over activists held in Russia", BBC News, September 27, 2013.
  6. ^ "Следствием переквалифицированы действия нападавших на платформу «Приразломная»". Sledcom.ru. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
  7. ^ Rosenberg, Steve (23 October 2013). "Russia drops piracy charges against Greenpeace group". BBC News. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
  8. ^ "Russia charges all Arctic Sunrise Greenpeace activists with piracy over oil rig protest". RT News. 2013-10-03. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
  9. ^ Loiko, Sergei L. "Greenpeace activists, Moscow photographer placed under arrest", Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2013.
  10. ^ Key raises Greenpeace NZers with Putin. 3 News NZ. 9 October 2013.
  11. ^ BBC: Nobel laureates urge Putin to free Greenpeace activists, 17 October 2013
  12. ^ Greenpeace: Murmanskin toimistoon murtauduttu yle 18.10.2013
  13. ^ "Netherlands asks sea law tribunal to order Russia to release Greenpeace ship and activists". Washington Post. Associated Press. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
  14. ^ Arctic Sunrise case: Russia to boycott intl maritime tribunal over Greenpeace arrests 23 October 2013 RT (TV network)
  15. ^ "Greenpeace International responds to allegations from Russian authorities". Greenpeace. 2013-10-10. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
  16. ^ a b Greenpeace activist arrested in Russia raises alarm over Arctic Sunrise ship 17 October 2013 The Guardian
  17. ^ Eleven Nobel Peace Prize winners write to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Greenpeace case Greenpeace
  18. ^ Angela Merkel pressures Putin over Arctic 30 arrests 17 October 2013 The Guardian
  19. ^ a b UK aims to become hub for Arctic oil exploration 17 October 2013 The Guardian
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