Friday, 22 November 2013 - 18:59
Hamburg Tribunal orders Arctic Sunrise and crew released
The International Maritime Tribunal ruled today that the Arctic Sunrise and its crew are to be released immediately. The tribunal also suggested a deposit of 3.6 million euro for ship and crew.According to President Shunji Yanai of the tribunal ship and crew may also leave Russia. Part of the crew has already been released on bail , but they are not allowed to leave the country.
The Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow announced to study the ruling and determine a position. A statement posted on the website of the ministry, expressed the hope that the Tribunal approached the matter objectively and took all aspects of the case into account. The Arctic Sunrise did not meet the conditions for entitlement to free shipping in the area, nor did the Netherlands fulfill its obligations as flag state of the ship, according to the statement.
Greenpeace'_Arctic_Sunrise
Bicycle Bob
Wikimedia commons The tribunal thinks that a ship's crew should not suffer from a dispute between countries. Netherlands is to pay the security deposit in the form of a bank guarantee. The Russian representative and the court of Ukraine voted against. The Maritime Tribunal considered itself entitled to rule in the case, after the diplomacy between the Netherlands and Russia did not render results. A ruling was necessary, because the Arctic Sunrise suffers from a lack of maintenance in the Arctic Ocean, which could, in turn, become a danger to the environment, according to the court. The Arctic Sunrise has been docked in the harbor of the Russian city of Murmansk since September. Russia did not participate in the process that was filed by the Netherlands. Russian President Putin personally commented on the matter Thursday. The Greenpeace activists are guilty of illegal acts, but in his eyes the Russian state should respond mildly in this case, according to the president. The Dutch Faiza Oulahsen and Mannes Ubels were released on bail yesterday. So far, 29 crew members were released on bail, of whom 26 are already out. Only one Australian heard an extended detention sentence, but the decision was appealed.
Bicycle Bob
Wikimedia commons The tribunal thinks that a ship's crew should not suffer from a dispute between countries. Netherlands is to pay the security deposit in the form of a bank guarantee. The Russian representative and the court of Ukraine voted against. The Maritime Tribunal considered itself entitled to rule in the case, after the diplomacy between the Netherlands and Russia did not render results. A ruling was necessary, because the Arctic Sunrise suffers from a lack of maintenance in the Arctic Ocean, which could, in turn, become a danger to the environment, according to the court. The Arctic Sunrise has been docked in the harbor of the Russian city of Murmansk since September. Russia did not participate in the process that was filed by the Netherlands. Russian President Putin personally commented on the matter Thursday. The Greenpeace activists are guilty of illegal acts, but in his eyes the Russian state should respond mildly in this case, according to the president. The Dutch Faiza Oulahsen and Mannes Ubels were released on bail yesterday. So far, 29 crew members were released on bail, of whom 26 are already out. Only one Australian heard an extended detention sentence, but the decision was appealed.