By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MOSCOW, Russia – Russian officials shrugged at legal action taken by the Dutch to have 30 Greenpeace-affiliated persons released from a Murmansk detention facility. Around the world, protests drew attention to the matter.
In September 2013, Russian authorities arrested 30 participants in a Greenpeace protest against the Prirazlomnaya offshore oil platform. Two activists scaled the structure before their arrest. Three others barricaded themselves in the radio room and tweeted live updates.
Currently, the participants are detained in the northern Russian city of Murmansk, and face piracy charges, which may result in a 15-year sentence.
Among those arrested aboard Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise were two Dutch citizens. On 4 October 2013, the Netherlands began legal proceedings against Russia for unlawful detention of activists and crew of the Arctic Sunrise, which was a Dutch-registered ship.
“With regard to its detention of the ship, Russia invokes its authority to ensure safety at sea in the vicinity of the oil platform,” Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans wrote. “The Netherlands agrees on the importance of safety at sea, but in this case we contest the lawfulness of detaining the ship and its crew.”
Other activists aboard the ship were from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the U.K., Ukraine, and the U.S.
Protesters have called for the activists’ release on an international scale. As a “global day of solidarity”, Greenpeace stated that it would hold up to 100 protests in approximately 48 countries. In support of 6 arrested British nationals, about 700 people protested at the Russian Embassy in London.
London protestors included Jude Law, Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, and Vivienne Westwood.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said that Russia asked the Netherlands several times to halt the ship’s “illegal activity.”
“Unfortunately, this was not done,” Meshkov said. “Therefore, we have far more questions for the Dutch side than they can have for us. Everything that happened with the Arctic Sunrise was pure provocation.”
Greenpeace claimed the activists held a peaceful protest in international waters, adding that Russian authorities boarded their ship and arrested the activists at gunpoint when they saw the group drive motorboats near an oil vessel owned by Russia and ExxonMobil.
Greenpeace International Executive Director, Kumi Naidoo said, “The activists were taking a brave stand to protect all of us from climate change and the dangers of reckless oil drilling in the Arctic. Now it’s imperative that millions of us stand up with them to defend the Arctic and demand their immediate release.”
For further information, please see:
CNN International – Greenpeace Vigil for ‘Arctic 30’ Held in Russia, as Dutch File Legal Case – October 5, 2013
Guardian – Worldwide Vigils for Greenpeace Activists Held by Russian Authorities – October 5, 2013
Reuters – Russia Dismisses Dutch Legal Action over Greenpeace Activists – October 5, 2013
Sydney Morning Herald – Shattering Conclusion to a Voyage of Peaceful Protest – October 5, 2013
Impunity Watch – President Putin States Activists Who Protested on Russian Oil Rig Are Not Pirates – September 25, 2013
