Why Are the Russians Taking Greenpeace's "Pirates" So Seriously?

By Seán Doyle

A Russian coast-guard officer approaches a Greenpeace member as five activists attempt to climb the Prirazlomnaya, an oil platform operated by Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom in Russia’s Pechora Sea. Photo courtesy of Denis Sinyakov/Greenpeace

A pirate is typically one of two things: either a sailor with bad dental hygiene whose likeness is occasionally used to market rum, or a Somali with an RPG and a predilection for robbing the crews of international cargo ships. They are not normally vegan environmental activists who spend a large amount of time tearing up over the plight of polar bears. However, if Russian prosecutors are to be believed, Greenpeace activists are the new global face of piracy.

Earlier this month, 30 unarmed demonstrators from the environmental organization attempted to climb Russia’s sole offshore drilling rig in the Arctic Ocean. All 30 have now been charged with piracy by Russian authorities, and now face trials that could see them jailed for up to 15 years……To Read More…..

My Take – This article attempts to underplay this event in support of Greenpeace.  The real question is why they haven’t been charged with piracy in the past.  From the picture it appears they are flying their Rainbow Warrior flag versus the flag of a nation, or the flag of the nation that registered them, alone labels them a pirate ship.   Furthermore, according to international law as outlined by United Nations agreement under Article 101 the definition of piracy is:

(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:

(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;

(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;

(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft;

(c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).

The courts have interpreted similar actions by The Sea Shepherd in their anti-whaling activities as piracy.  Greenpeace is equally guilty. 

One more thing!  Canada and New Zealand have both stripped Greenpeace of it's tax free status.