The Dutch government has taken Russia to the international maritime court to try and free 30 crew members of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise.
The group faces piracy charges after being by arrested Russian troops last month during a protest at an oil platform against drilling in the Arctic.
A Dutch government statement said it was asking for the release of the detained crew and the Greenpeace ship before the German-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
“Because the Netherlands find that the ship’s release and the freeing of the crew is an urgent matter, it has now decided on this step,” it said.
The activists from 18 different countries are being held in the northern Russian city of Murmansk before another court hearing in November.
Piracy carries a 15 year sentence in Russia
Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle 
I had missed the news, Gez, about the Greenpeace activists and this attempt by the Dutch government to rescue them from their now plight.
LikeLike
Do you think that the same should be applied to budgie smuglers?
LikeLike
this is for julian down below.
LikeLike
The Inuit of the most northern tip of the world used to walk across between the little Diomedes (US) and the Big Diomedes (Russia) Islands during winter using the ice bridge. There was no concept of stepping from one Continent to the other. They just used the opportunity to talk and exchange stories between relatives and friends. Russia during the 30s removed most residents from the Big Diomedes to the mainland and forbade the visits of relatives.
.Little Diomedes has over 140 residents. Because of the Permafrost water cannot be laid in underground pipes between the water tanks and the houses., so, the residents have to melt snow for water during winter. and in summer draw it from the water tanks.
It has a school, small medical facility, internet and heliport.
Sale of alcohol is banned!
This ban of visiting relatives was reversed in the late 1990′s. Sadly most relatives in the Russian part have simply gone and vanished.
Russia still seems to have that same kind of merciless approach to foreigners. Let’s hope the Dutch and the Court will entice Russia to show some mercy and allow everyone to get home.
LikeLike
Power corrupts. The main issue is the focus on maintaining power and the energy all the leaders of the world give to winning their power while these administrative matters remain unattended. Sadly with terrible consequences.
LikeLike
Bloody Dutch, always trying to be fair-minded, and even handed!
LikeLike
Bloody oath.
LikeLike
This is a country where they send punk rock activists to a penal colony for protesting in a church, a country which sends it’s Russian coastguards in a helicopter ,dressed in balaclavas with machine guns to be lowered on to a Greenpeace ship like in a bad James Bond movie.
Drilling in the Arctic is a disaster waiting to happen
LikeLike
Yes it does.
Indonesia can impose the death sentence for smuggling drugs.
LikeLike
Do you think that the same should be applied to budgie smuglers?
LikeLike