Following the Russian authorities’ declaration of Greenpeace as an “undesirable organization,” effectively prohibiting its activities, the Russian branch of the environmental group announced its closure.
The Russian government accused Greenpeace of “interfering in the internal affairs of the state” and engaging in “anti-Russian propaganda” due to its advocacy for sanctions against Moscow.
Greenpeace Russia expressed its strong disagreement with the decision made by the Prosecutor General’s Office, stating so in a statement posted on Telegram.
As a result of the ban, all Greenpeace activities in Russia have been rendered illegal, leaving the Russian branch with no choice but to shut down.
The classification of “undesirable” has been utilized by the Russian government since 2015 to label and effectively ban numerous foreign organizations operating in the country.
In 2013, Russia initiated criminal proceedings against Greenpeace activists who attempted to climb an offshore oil rig owned by Gazprom in the Arctic Ocean. The activists aimed to protest against Arctic oil production.
During that incident, Russian security services boarded the Dutch-registered Greenpeace vessel and detained its 30 crew members, who were subsequently investigated for piracy.
Greenpeace, originating from the anti-nuclear and counterculture movement of the late 1960s, has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most recognizable environmental organizations. It operates in more than 50 countries globally.
Post Your Comments