Russian authorities fail to drop piracy charges against Arctic 30

Despite announcement that charges would be reduced for Greenpeace activists, they now appear to have been increased

Prosecutors in Russia have failed to lift charges of piracy against the group of Greenpeace activists who have come to be known as the Arctic 30.

 

Russia’s Investigative Committee announced last week that the piracy charges – which carry a 15-year jail sentence – would be replaced with charges of hooliganism. But when the thirty detainees were brought before the Committee over the course of this week, the piracy charge was not withdrawn. Instead, each activist was served with both the piracy and hooliganism charges. 

 

Danish activist Anne Mie Roer Jensen is among those who now stand accused of both offences, which carry a maximum sentence of 15 and seven years, respectively.

 

“As things stand the Russian authorities propose to jail 30 men and women for maybe 20 years because two peaceful protesters tried to hang a small yellow banner from the side of a 500,00 tonne oil platform," said Greenpeace executive head Kumi Naidoo. "This has now descended into farce. The legal hammer now being wielded against them says so much more about those who have brought these charges than it does about the prisoners."

 

Naidoo said that the protestors were neither pirates nor hooligans and should be released immediately.

 

No pressure from Villy
Next Wednesday, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) will hear the case brought by the Netherlands demanding the release of the activists and the return of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise.

 

The 28 Greenpeace activists, a freelance photographer and a videographer, were charged with piracy by the Investigative Committee following a protest against Arctic oil drilling at a Gazprom oil platform in the Pechora Sea. 

 

Since the Arctic Sunrise was seized seven weeks ago, world leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commissioner Janez Poto?nik have expressed their concern for the fate of the Arctic 30

 

Foreign Minister Villy Søvndal (SF), said that he won’t place political pressure on the Russian government over the charges against Jensen.

 

Greenpeace said that there are diplomatic options that should be pursued.

 

“We are not demanding a full-scale diplomatic effort, but the government should at least state that the charges are completely absurd and are politically motivated,” Greenpeace spokesperson Jon Burgwald told The Copenhagen Post. “They need to investigate ways of letting the Russian government know that it is completely unacceptable.”

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs