Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
30 Greenpeace activists charged with piracy in Russia
Source: The Guardian
30 Greenpeace activists charged with piracy in Russia
Shaun Walker in Moscow
The Guardian, Thursday 3 October 2013 18.01 BST
All 30 of those arrested during a Greenpeace protest against Arctic oil drilling have now been charged with piracy by Russian authorities, and face trials that could see them jailed for up to 15 years. There are nationals of 18 different countries among the group, including six Britons.
Investigators had already charged 14 of the activists on Wednesday, and on Thursday laid the same charges of "piracy as part of an organised group" against the remaining 16. Those charged on Thursday included the British citizens Frank Heweston and Iain Rogers, as well as the Greenpeace ship's American captain, Peter Willcox. A long-standing Greenpeace activist, Willcox was also the captain of the Rainbow Warrior, the ship sunk by French special forces in 1985 before a planned protest against nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean.
The environmentalists were detained last month as Greenpeace's boat, the Arctic Sunrise, sailed towards the Prirazlomnaya oil rig in the Pechora Sea. Two activists attempted to board the rig, and Russian border guards intervened, descending on to the boat from helicopters. They later forcefully towed the Arctic Sunrise back to Murmansk.
Among the group are a British freelance videographer and a Russian photographer, both of whom have also been charged with piracy. Greenpeace says the charges are absurd and has appealed against the detention of its activists, who are being held in prison cells in Murmansk.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Shaun Walker in Moscow
The Guardian, Thursday 3 October 2013 18.01 BST
All 30 of those arrested during a Greenpeace protest against Arctic oil drilling have now been charged with piracy by Russian authorities, and face trials that could see them jailed for up to 15 years. There are nationals of 18 different countries among the group, including six Britons.
Investigators had already charged 14 of the activists on Wednesday, and on Thursday laid the same charges of "piracy as part of an organised group" against the remaining 16. Those charged on Thursday included the British citizens Frank Heweston and Iain Rogers, as well as the Greenpeace ship's American captain, Peter Willcox. A long-standing Greenpeace activist, Willcox was also the captain of the Rainbow Warrior, the ship sunk by French special forces in 1985 before a planned protest against nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean.
The environmentalists were detained last month as Greenpeace's boat, the Arctic Sunrise, sailed towards the Prirazlomnaya oil rig in the Pechora Sea. Two activists attempted to board the rig, and Russian border guards intervened, descending on to the boat from helicopters. They later forcefully towed the Arctic Sunrise back to Murmansk.
Among the group are a British freelance videographer and a Russian photographer, both of whom have also been charged with piracy. Greenpeace says the charges are absurd and has appealed against the detention of its activists, who are being held in prison cells in Murmansk.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/03/greenpeace-activists-charged-piracy-russia
