The ship arrived under tow in the fjord near Murmansk around 10:00 local time this morning accompanied by a tug boat and the Russian Coast Guard vessel Ladoga, following Thursday’s boarding by armed security forces.
A number of independent legal experts have now supported Greenpeace International's position that the boarding was illegal under international law (1). Separately, over 50 Russian NGOs including WWF Russia have signed a joint statement calling for the activists to be released (2).
Greenpeace International lawyers are demanding immediate access to the 30 activists who have been held for over four days without legal or consular assistance. It is still not known whether Russia intends to lay formal charges and Greenpeace has not received any formal contact from the authorities.
Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo said:
“Greenpeace International has a 40 year history of taking peaceful action to protect the environment, and last week’s protest against dangerous Arctic oil drilling was carried out in line with these strong principles. Our activists did nothing to warrant the reaction we’ve seen from the Russian authorities.
“It’s been four days since our ship was boarded and we have still not been offered a legal basis for the raid, and nor have our activists been allowed any contact with lawyers or consular officials.
“Our activists are motivated only by a passionate belief in the need to protect the Arctic from reckless oil drilling and climate change. We demand their immediate release.”
In August last year Naidoo protested at the same Prirazlomnaya platform (3) as well as appearing alongside Russian scientists to present evidence showing the potential consequences of an oil spill from the structure. The study estimated that over 3,000 miles of Russia’s coastline could be affected (4).
Greenpeace International today highlighted worker footage of the platform showing a large safety ladder being ripped off the side of the platform during a fierce Arctic storm in October 2011 (5).
A full timeline of events, as well as Greenpeace International’s response to various allegations about the direct action including possible piracy charges are available at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/arctic/
Contact:
Greenpeace International press desk: +31 (0)20 718 24 70 or 
Greenpeace International picture desk: +31 (0) 20718 2471
Greenpeace International video desk: +31 (0) 20718 2472
Information about last week’s protest at Gazprom’s oil platform can be found here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/press/releases/Greenpeace-activists-scale-Gazprom-drilling-platform-two-arrested-in-Arctic-oil-protest/
Video:
Most recent news edit:
http://photo.greenpeace.org/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox&STID=27MZIFV1XJTU&CT=Story
New footage will be found here:
ftp.greenpeacemedia.net
Username: dvout
Password: 3e4r5t
Folder: 1309_Arctic_Sunrise_Murmansk
Pictures:
Including images taken from inside the ship under tow - are available at:
http://photo.greenpeace.org/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox&STID=27MZIFV1R7P5&CT=Story
(1) Prof. Dr. Stefan Kirchner, Visiting Professor Fundamental and Human Rights, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, stated in a legal opinion published 22 September 2013:
“Russia’s actions with regard to the ARCTIC SUNRISE are incompatible with the international law of the sea as codified in the Law of the Sea Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and possibly other international treaties. It appears that Russia has violated the human rights of the crew members as well as rights of the flag State (Netherlands) and of the crew members‘ respective home States. In order to comply with international law, Russia has to ensure the speedy release of the vessel and its crew.”
Prof. Dr. Gert Jan Knoops, Adjunct Professor International Criminal Law, stated in Dutch daily De Volkskrant on 20 September 2013 that, judging on the information available to him, the Russian Coast Guard lacked the legal authority to board the Arctic Sunrise.
Prof. Dr. Doris König, Claussen Simon Chair for International Law at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg commented on 20 September 2013 that it is likely that the ship’s arrest outside of the safety zone constitutes a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
(2) NGOs included WWF Russia, Moscow and Bellona, St. Petersburg. Joint statement is available here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/russia/ru/news/2013/23-09-together-Arctic-Sunrise/
(3) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/press/releases/Greenpeace-International-head-boards-Gazprom-Arctic-oil-platform/
(4) http://www.greenpeace.org/russia/en/news/Prirazlomnaya-oil-spill-would-threaten-Russian-Arctic-with-irreparable-disaster-study-/
(5) Ladder footage seen at http://tv29.ru/?bl60number=8211
Cited by WWF Russia PP 8 http://www.wwf.ru/data/mailer/media/spravka_po_gazpromu_clean.pdf