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Greenpeace activists charged with piracy by Russian authorities Greenpeace activists charged with piracy by Russian authorities
(about 2 hours later)
Russian authorities officially charged two Greenpeace activists with piracy on Wednesday morning, with another 28 of the organisation's environmentalists facing similar charges. Russian authorities have formally charged five Greenpeace activists with piracy, with a further 25 facing similar charges.
Kieron Bryan, a freelance videographer from Britain, and Brazilian Ana Paula Alminhana were both charged with "piracy as part of an organised group", according to Greenpeace. If found guilty, they will face between 10 and 15 years in jail. Kieron Bryan, a freelance videographer from Britain; Ana Paula Alminhana, from Brazil; Dmitri Litvinov, a Swedish-American; Sini Saarela, from Finland; and Roman Dolgov, from Russia were charged with "piracy as part of an organised group" on Wednesday morning, according to Greenpeace. They face up to 15 years in jail each if found guilty.
The pair were among 30 activists from 18 different countries who were travelling aboard the Arctic Sunrise, a Greenpeace ship that last month mounted a protest against the Prirazlomnaya oil rig. The drilling platform, in the icy waters of the Pechora Sea, is operated by the Russian energy giant Gazprom. As two activists tried to scale the platform, Russian border guards descended onto the boat from helicopters and escorted it back to Murmansk with those on board kept under armed guard. The five were among 30 people from 18 different countries who were travelling on board the Arctic Sunrise, a Greenpeace ship that last month mounted a protest against the Prirazlomnaya oil rig. The drilling platform, in the Pechora Sea, is operated by the Russian energy firm Gazprom. As two activists tried to scale the platform, Russian border guards descended on to the boat from helicopters. The Arctic Sunrise was then escorted back to Murmansk, north-west Russia, with those on board kept under armed guard.
All 30 activists were remanded in custody by a Murmansk court for a period of up to two months while investigators looked into the charges. Prosecutors are expected to lay charges against all 30 of the activists in the coming hours and days. All 30 activists were remanded in custody for up to two months while investigators looked into the charges. Prosecutors are expected to lay charges against all 30 during the next couple of days.
The executive director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, said that the decision by Russian authorities to charge the activists move represented "the most serious threat to Greenpeace's peaceful environmental activism" since the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior. French secret service agents planted bombs on the ship to sink it, ahead of a protest against nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean. The captain of the Arctic Sunrise, US citizen Peter Willcox, was also the captain of Rainbow Warrior at the time. He is being held in Murmansk but has not yet been charged. The executive director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, said the decision by Russian authorities to charge the activists represented "the most serious threat to Greenpeace's peaceful environmental activism" since the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in 1985. The captain of the Arctic Sunrise, American Peter Willcox, was also the captain of Rainbow Warrior at the time. He is being held in Murmansk but has not yet been charged.
"A charge of piracy is being laid against men and women whose only crime is to be possessed of a conscience," said Naidoo in a statement. "Any claim that these activists are pirates is as absurd as it is abominable." "A charge of piracy is being laid against men and women whose only crime is to be possessed of a conscience," said Naidoo. "Any claim that these activists are pirates is as absurd as it is abominable."
The piracy charges also come after President Vladimir Putin said that it was "completely obvious" that the activists were not pirates. He did, however, accuse them of breaking the law and said that Russian authorities had no way of knowing whether they were terrorists or not and were thus forced to act. The charges also come after Vladimir Putin said it was "completely obvious" that the activists were not pirates. The Russian president did, however, accuse them of breaking the law and said that the authorities had no way of knowing whether they were terrorists or not and were thus forced to act.
Greenpeace claims that over a million people have written messages to Russian embassies across the world in support of its activists. Greenpeace claims that more than a million people have written messages to Russian embassies across the world in support of its activists.
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