NOVANEWS
In what turned out to be the Arctic oil drilling protest from hell, activists are now being held in international waters at gunpoint against their will by 15 Russian FSB agents.
MV Arctic Sunrise (Photo: Wikipedia.org)
Watch the official Intellihub.com video report here
By Shepard Ambellas
ARCTIC — Russian FSB agents have boarded and seized the Greenpeace marine vessel “Arctic Sunrise”, holding at least 20 Greenpeace activists at gunpoint.
This took place this Wednesday after the activists tried to board a Russian oil platform in protest of drilling in the region.
According to reports, warning shots were fired. The NYTimes.com reported, “Border guards fired a warning shot from an automatic rifle by the ship that ferried the protesters to the oil rig in the Pechora Sea in Russia’s Arctic waters, the Federal Security Service said in a statement.”[1]
According to reports, the FSB agents boarded the activists vessel in “international waters”, illegally.[2]
The crew is said to be held in the galley of the vessel under gunpoint. The captain of the ship has been reported to have been taken to the ships bridge against his will.
A statement has been released by Greenpeace and was emailed to Intellihub.com. The statement reads as follows:
Fifteen armed Russian Coast Guard officers have illegally boarded the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise via helicopter, stopped almost all outside communication and are currently holding more than twenty Greenpeace activists on board at gunpoint.
These Greenpeace activists urgently need your help.
Please sign our petition to Russia’s US Ambassador demanding Russia release the activists, immediately withdraw the Coast Guard from the Greenpeace ship, and put an end to offshore oil drilling in the Arctic for good.
On the morning of September 18th, Greenpeace activists attempted to peacefully occupy an off-shore oil platform owned by Russian oil giant Gazprom.
But when they arrived, the Russian Coast Guard fired warning shots and threatened the activists’ lives – ultimately taking two protesters with them against their will and providing no legal representation.
Then, just hours ago, Russian special forces returned and took control of the ship. That’s why we’re mounting an international effort to get the activists back to us safely along with the release of the Greenpeace ship. And it starts with having people around the world putting pressure on the Russian government.
The activists onboard the Arctic Sunrise need your support now more than ever. Please take action today. Our goal is to get 75,000 signatures in the next two days.
For the Arctic and for the right to peaceful protest,
Nicky Davies
Greenpeace USA Campaign Director[3]
Sources:
[1] Russia: Greenpeace Members Held at Arctic Oil Rig – NYTimes.com
[2] FSB Russia – Wikipedia.org
[3] Tell Russia to Release Greenpeace Activists – Greenpeace
