Prepared for the worst: Greenpeace activists ‘knew risks’
As the head of Greenpeace offers to move to Russia to secure bail for 30 people charged with piracy, we look at how the organisation prepares activists for arrest, prison and potentially death.
Earlier this week former Russian adviser Alexander Nekrassov told Channel 4 News Greenpeace should have warned their members about the risks they faced targeting oil drilling operations.
28 Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists were arrested as their ship, Arctic Sunrise, approached an oil platform owned by Gazprom. They now face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
According to Russian authorities Greenpeace were warned to stay out of their waters in December of last year, after an attempt was made to reach the Prirazlomnaya oil platform. Russian security services abseiled from a helicopter onto the Arctic Sunrise, seizing the ship at gunpoint.
A Greenpeace spokesman told Channel 4 News that the group is often warned not to do things: but noted that their activists are highly trained and freely enter into their direct action campaigns:
“Our activists and crew members were thoroughly briefed on a range of possible legal outcomes from the action they planned, and took part in the full knowledge of the possibility of detention,” they explained.
“These people acted purely out of concern for the Arctic and the world’s climate. They are deeply committed to protecting the Arctic environment from oil drilling and fighting climate change and volunteered to take part.”
Greenpeace said they “respect the rule of law and the court’s right to decide” but added that holding the group in custody is “absolutely unwarranted”:
“The fact is that the Russian response has been completely disproportionate and is unjustified. Our ship was boarded illegally and our activists have been charged with piracy which is absurd,” they added.
“This was a peaceful protest, covered by freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, which is guaranteed by UN convention on human rights.
Defending their choice of tactics the group stated; “This type of activism is absolutely justified when governments ignore common sense and dire scientific warnings to drill in the Arctic.”
The group has suffered casualties before – in 1985 the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior by French security services led to the death of photographer Fernando Pereiro.
Closer to home, their activists regularly risk arrest.
In 2008 six activists successfully beat criminal damage charges after painting the word “Gordon” on a chimney at Kingsnorth power station. They argued their action was legally justified because they were trying to prevent greater damage to the world and the jury agreed.
Russian warning
Igor Girenko, an official at the Russian embassy in Canada has claimed to local press that Russia warned the group to stay out of its territoryl in December last year.
He said Greenpeace was warned not to enter Russia’s Arctic waters long before the arrests last month and claims authorities also told the Netherlands that ship would not be allowed to enter the Northern Sea Route.
In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Greenpeace chief Kumi Naidoo on Wednesday offered himself as “guarantor for the good conduct of the Greenpeace activists, were they to be released on bail.”
Russian coastguard officers forcibly seized control of the ship and towed it to Murmansk. They deny Greenpeace’s claim that the ship had been in international waters when it was seized.
The Netherlands has launched legal proceedings against Russia saying the country has unlawfully detained activists and others on board a Dutch-registered icebreaker.
Drug claims
Russian investigators today claimed they have found “hard drugs” on board the seized Greenpeace ship. Russia’s Investigative Committee stated that during a search of the ship poppy straw and morphine were confiscated.
Greenpeace has denied the suggestion as a smear, claiming the ship contained medical supplies that they are obliged to hold under maritime law.
Before leaving Norway for the Russian Arctic, the ship was thoroughly searched by the Norwegian authorities – also with sniffing dog (1/2)
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) October 9, 2013
Despite Norway being among the strictest in the world on this field, nothing was found because nothing illegal was on the ship (2/2)
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) October 9, 2013