Greenpeace International dismisses Russian allegations of piracy as ‘unjustified and desperate’
 
22 September, 2013 - Earlier today, Greenpeace International strongly rejected an allegation of piracy leveled at its ship Arctic Sunrise in the Russian Arctic, describing it as a desperate attempt to justify the illegal boarding of its ship in international waters.
 
Two New Zealanders are among the 30 activists who remain under armed guard and without legal representation after the ship was boarded on Thursday. Greenpeace is demanding that it is allowed to contact the activists immediately.
 
Tomorrow (Monday) morning, Greenpeace volunteers, along with concerned Wellingtonians, will deliver a message sculpted in ice saying FREE THE ARCTIC 30 to the Russian Embassy in Wellington.
 
Russia’s Investigative Committee announced on Friday that it is formally considering charges of piracy (1), despite the fact that piracy by definition can only apply to violent acts against ships committed for private ends - not peaceful protests carried out to protect the environment.
 
Greenpeace International’s General Counsel Jasper Teulings said:
 
“The suggestion that Greenpeace International engaged in piracy this week smacks of real desperation. The activists climbed Gazprom’s Arctic oil platform for a completely safe and peaceful protest against dangerous drilling, carrying only banners and rope. Piracy laws do not apply to safe and peaceful protests.
 
“Over a full day after our protest the Russian Coast guard boarded our ship outside of territorial waters, where there is right of free passage, with no legal justification whatsoever. This looks like a retrospective attempt to create that justification and avoid embarrassment. We will contest these allegations strongly and we continue to demand the release of our activists and the ship.”
 
More than 230,000 people have written to Russian embassies and consulates around the world since Thursday evening demanding the release of the activists. Greenpeace offices in over 30 countries organised solidarity protests.
 
Legal experts have joined Greenpeace International lawyers to declare the boarding of the ship in international waters as illegal. Professor Geert-Jan Knoops, an international criminal law expert based in the Netherlands, said on Friday:
 
 "As far as the facts are known to me exactly, the Russian coast guard was not entitled [to board the ship]”. (2)
 
The ship’s co-ordinates at the time of arrest were 69 19.86’N 057 16.56’E, showing that the vessel was clearly outside of Russia’s territorial waters.
 
ENDS

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