他們在信中呼籲俄羅斯總統普京「盡可能撤銷對28名綠色和平行動者與兩名自由攝影師的指控，並提出符合國際法與俄羅斯法律的調查。」
發信的11位諾貝爾和平獎得主表示，北極是「人類珍貴的寶藏」，他們都支持停止危險的北極鑽油行為。
「北極鑽油是一項危險且高風險的生意。一旦發生任何漏油意外，地球上最純淨、獨特、美麗的景色將不復存在。漏油對北極原生居民、脆弱的生物都會帶來毀滅性的長遠影響，這樣的風險不容忽視。但石油產業的回應顯然難以應付這樣的危機。北極鑽油同時也會加劇氣候變化 ，無論在北極或世界其他地方，氣候變化威脅著全人類。若已發展國家不立刻行動，我們必須付出的代價，就是失去這全世界最脆弱的地方。」
公開信所有參與人名單：
- 南非大主教戴斯蒙‧屠圖 Desmond Tutu
- 北愛爾蘭和平運動者Betty Williams
- 哥斯達黎加前總統 Oscar Arias Sanchez
- 美國和平運動者 Jody Williams
- 西非利比里亞和平運動者Leymah Gbowee
- 也門和平運動者Tawakkol Karman
- 危地馬拉社會運動者 Rigoberta Menchu Tum
- 北愛爾蘭和平運動者 Mairead Maguire
- 伊朗前法官與人權律師 Shirin Ebadi
- 東帝汶前總統Jose Ramos Horta
- 阿根廷社區運動者Adolpho Perez Esquivel
28名綠色和平行動者與2名自由攝影師在9月18號因到俄羅斯石油公司Gazprom在北極的鑽油平台Prirazlomnaya和平抗議後遭到拘留。10月2日法院起訴為海盜罪，最高可能被判15年監禁。目前30名人員均被拘留於俄羅斯摩爾曼斯克(Murmansk)，為北極圈中最大的城市。
俄羅斯總統普京曾在上月底參與國際北極論壇時表示，曾公開表示綠色和平成員「明顯不是海盜」，但事後30名成員仍被俄羅斯當局以海盜罪名起訴。
目前全球已有超過140萬人連署聲援，並在全球49國超過250地點都有聲援行動。此外，國際記者聯盟(International Federation of Journalists)以及歐洲記者聯盟(European Federation of Journalists)皆要求釋放兩名自由攝影師。 (1)
Notes:
(1) http://www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-efj-condemn-continued-detention-of-journalists-in-russia
信件全文
Dear President Putin,
RE: Drop piracy charges & immediately release the “Arctic 30”
We are writing to ask you to do all you can to ensure that the excessive charges of piracy against the 28 Greenpeace activists, freelance photographer and freelance videographer are dropped, and that any charges brought are consistent with international and Russian law. We are confident that you share our desire to respect the right to nonviolent protest.
As you know, Russian authorities have detained 30 members of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise crew since September 19 when armed Russian authorities boarded the vessel in the Pechora Sea. The crew—which includes Russians and numerous other nationalities—had been engaged in a peaceful, nonviolent protest.
We were heartened by your statement, on September 25th, that you did not believe the Greenpeace crew members were pirates. As you know, the Greenpeace activists were unarmed and used only peaceful means to demonstrate their opposition to the oil drilling operations threatening the Arctic.
Arctic oil drilling is a dangerous, high-risk enterprise. An oil spill under these icy waters would have a catastrophic impact on one of the most pristine, unique and beautiful landscapes on earth. The impact of a spill on communities living in the Arctic, and on already vulnerable animal species, would be devastating and long lasting. The risks of such an accident are ever present, and the oil industry’s response plans remain wholly inadequate.
Equally important is the contribution of Arctic oil drilling to climate change. Climate change in the Arctic and elsewhere threatens all of us, but it is the world’s most vulnerable who are paying the price for developed countries’ failure to act. Now is the time to accelerate our transition away from fossil fuels and move towards a future built on safe, clean and renewable energy.
We urge all states to do their utmost to protect this precious treasure of humanity, while moving beyond a dependency on oil as an energy source. As one of the countries most directly concerned, we call on you to personally lead that effort.
We, like millions of people around the world, are watching this case, eager to see Russian authorities drop the piracy charges, treat the “Arctic 30” in accordance with international law, reaffirm the right to nonviolent protest, and rededicate efforts to protect the Arctic.
Sincerely,
- Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate (1976) — Northern Ireland
- Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate (1976) — Northern Ireland
- Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Laureate (1980) — Argentina
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate (1984) — South Africa
- Oscar Arias Sánchez, Nobel Peace Laureate (1987) - Costa Rica
- Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nobel Peace Laureate (1992) — Guatemala
- José Ramos Horta, Nobel Peace Laureate (1996) — East Timor
- Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate (1997) — USA
- Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Laureate (2003) — Iran
- Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Laureate (2011) — Yemen
- Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate (2011) — Liberia