Greenpeace has denied its protesters that stormed an Arctic rig last week were pirates after it emerged they face criminal charges.
The campaigning group’s Arctic Sunrise icebreaker vessel is due to arrive in Murmansk by tomorrow, after being seized by Russian forces on Thursday.
Russia’s investigative committee said it was considering bringing charges of piracy against the crew of the ship, which was involved in protests against the Prirazlomnaya rig last week.
If conficted, the crew would face up to 15 years in jail.
Greenpeace counsel Jasper Teulings has rejected the claim, insisting the piracy laws do not apply to peaceful protests.
“The suggestion that Greenpeace International engaged in piracy this week smacks of real desperation,” he said.
“This looks like a retrospective attempt to create that justification and avoid embarrassment. We will contest these allegations strongly and we continue to demand the release of our activists and the ship.”
But Kremlin official Sergei Ivanov told Russian news agency Tass the incident had been ‘piracy in the Somali style’.
“It is a well known organization, but I think they act too radically,” he added.
Up to 30 activists are thought to be on the boat, including six Britons. It was stormed by 15 armed men, who dropped from a helicopter onto the vessel.