The crew members Arctic Sunrise applied to the ECHR

30 Greenpeace activists and crew members of Arctic Sunrise have complained to the European Court of Human Rights, according to the website of the environmental organization. They require recognition illegal their detention and arrest after a peaceful action against oil production in the Pechora Sea.

“We turn to the European SU, because we are sure that the detention and arrest of 30 people are a gross violation of both Russian and international law. The authorities did not have the right to such actions against a peaceful protest, which was carried out by the Freenser journalists,” said lawyer Sergei Golubok representing the interests of the applicants.

Activists, crew members and journalists were captured on a foreign vessel in international waters, and held in prison for more than two days without charges, the statement of claim. According to the applicants, this violated Article 5 of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights.

“The Russian authorities also violated the 10th article of the Convention, since the measures taken by them to suppress peaceful protest and coverage by the journalists were excessive and unjustified. The power seizure of the vessel, the detention of all people on board, criminal charges were clearly disproportionate to the actions of activists and are aimed at suppressing freedom of expression,” the Greenpeace report said.

If the court accepts the case for consideration, this will be the first case of the Greenpeace action, considered in the ECHR.

The crew of Arctic Sunrise and on board the Greenpeace activists took place in Russia in the case of hooliganism, but it wasclosed in connection with a wide amnesty declared in the country . Soon after, 26 foreigners issued output visas. On December 26, the last of them left Russia.

The ship Arctic Sunrise on September 19, 2013 was detained by Russian border guards . The reason for the detention was the action held by Greenpeace activists the day earlier at the Oil -Reinforcing Platform "Prirazlomnaya" in the Pechora Sea. Ecologists tried to climb the platform and hang on it a banner in defense of the Arctic. The investigation first regarded their actions as piracy, but then the case was retrained to an article on hooliganism. After this, activists who were in custody from the moment of detention were released on bail.