DETENTION OF GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS IN RUSSIA

That this House is concerned that 28 Greenpeace activists, a freelance photographer and a freelance videographer, from 18 countries in total, have been detained in Russia since 19 September 2013, following a peaceful protest at the Prirazlomnaya oil drilling platform operated by Gazprom in Arctic waters; notes that there are six British nationals among those detained: Iain Rogers, Frank Hewetson, Kieron Bryan, Alexandra Harris, Anthony Perrett and Philip Ball; considers the piracy charges they face to be completely unfounded; observes that President Vladimir Putin and his adviser Mikhail Fedotov have made similar comments regarding the absence of any justification for accusations of piracy and that 11 Nobel Peace Prize laureates including Archbishop Desmond Tutu have written to the Russian President calling for the excessive charges to be dropped; welcomes steps taken by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to provide consular assistance and make representations to Russian officials; urges the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to ensure these efforts continue as a matter of priority; further notes the overwhelming support from global civil society, which has seen over 1.5 million people appeal for the release of the Arctic 30; and calls on the Government to continue to make urgent representations to the Russian government to secure the release of all detainees without delay.