Greenpeace Arctic Drilling Protest: 8 More Coralled

A further eight Greenpeace International activists have been detained for two months in Russia pending an investigation into possible charges of piracy.

The eight will join 22 others, including a freelance videographer and freelance photographer, detained on Thursday following a peaceful protest against Arctic oil drilling. Greenpeace International pledged to appeal all 30 detentions.

The 30 have already been held by the Russian authorities for 10 days since the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise was illegally boarded (in the view of Greenpeace) in international waters on Thursday, September 19.

The activists detained today are from Brazil, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, and the Ukraine (1).  They will join the other 22 being detained at five locations in and around Murmansk.  Greenpeace strongly condemned the decision to refuse them bail.

Responding to today’s news, Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo said:
“There is absolutely no justification for any charge of piracy, or the decision to deny bail. Our peaceful activists and the two freelancers are being locked away for bringing international scrutiny to Gazprom’s risky Arctic drilling programme. This is a naked attempt to intimidate anyone who opposes the Arctic oil rush and it will not stand."

Pictured: Greenpeace International 2nd Engineer Iain Rogers (from the United Kingdom) at the Leninsky District Court Of Murmansk.