Protesters call on Russia to free Greenpeace activists

A handout picture made available on 04 October 2013 shows Greenpeace Artic Sunrise Captain Peter Willcox from the US while leaving the Leninsky District Court of Murmansk charged with piracy in Murmansk, Russia, 03 October 2013. EPA.

All of the thirty crew arrested last month on Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise vessel, including 36-year-old Pole Tomasz Dziemianczuk, have now been charged with piracy, a crime for which defendants could serve up to 15 years in prison.

“Our activists have been charged with a crime that did not happen, they are accused of an imaginary offence,” Greenpeace's International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo argued in an official statement on Thursday.

“There can be no doubt about why the charge of piracy has been brought and the legal hammer wielded,” he said.

“An effort is under way to intimidate us.”

On September 18, Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise drew up against Russia's first offshore oil rig, the Prirazlomnaya platform, which is due to begin operations in the Arctic Ocean later this year.

The platform is run by state-controlled company Gazprom.

Two activists tried to tie themselves to the platform, but Russian security officers intercepted the protesters.

The entire Arctic Sunrise crew were arrested.

According to Kumi Naidoo, the Greenpeace action was part of “our peaceful passionate campaign against Gazprom and all other Arctic drillers.”

On Wednesday, Greenpeace activists in Germany chained themselves to fuel pumps at Gazprom petrol stations throughout the country as a gesture of solidarity with their detained colleagues.

Source: IAR, greenpeace.org