The Northwestern Federal District Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee continues investigating a criminal case over an attack on the Prirazlomnaya oil rig in the Barents Sea.
Under the international law any person commits a crime, if they illegally and deliberately seize a stationary platform or take control over it, no matter the intentions of these persons. It is obvious that “peaceful” campaign is out of question in this particular situation.
The behavior of the accused after they were held does not help to find the truth either. Of course they have the right not to testify against themselves, which is not prejudiced, however, the refuse of the accused to testify gives the investigators every reason to check carefully all possible versions of the incident, including the seizure of the platform out of mercenary and terrorist motives, because of illegal research activity and even espionage.
At this point I can say that the investigators have performed a great amount of work to make the picture clear. And today the investigators have decided to reclassify the charges for part 2 of article 213 of the RF Penal Code (hooliganism, which is gross violation of public order, expressing obvious disrespect to society, committed using the objects, used as weapons, by an organized group and accompanied by resistance to a representative of the authorities).
The procedure of bringing new charges to all the detainees has been started in accordance with criminal procedure norms.
However, as it was reported earlier, the investigators do not rule out that some of the detainees might be charged with other serious crimes, namely article 318 of the RF Penal Code (use of force against a representative of the authorities).
The investigation is ongoing.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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