It will be up to the Eastern High Court to decide whether a fine of 360,000 kroner for violating the Maritime Safety Act to the environmental organization Greenpeace Denmark was reasonable or not.
The court in Svendborg handed down its verdict in the case in early September, but Greenpeace calls the fine "out of proportion" and is therefore appealing to the high court, the organization writes in a press release.
It was a series of actions carried out in the spring of 2022 from small boats against Russian oil tankers in Danish waters for which Greenpeace has been punished.
According to the environmental organization, the oil involved was sanctioned, which helps finance Russia's war in Ukraine. The prosecution had demanded a fine of at least DKK 480,000, citing that the organization has previously been convicted of similar actions.
The court reached a fine of DKK 360,000 and specifically emphasized that the organization has previously been convicted. At the same time, the court assessed that the fine is not so large that it will make it financially impossible for Greenpeace to take action in the future. However, campaign manager Sune Scheller from Greenpeace Denmark believes that the fine is too large.
- Overall, the judgment lacks proportionality. It was a peaceful protest with a few kayaks, swimmers and a small sailing ship, which in a demonstration against Russian oil caused some oil tankers to briefly change course on open water, he says in the press release.
- It is completely missed the mark when the court punishes that action with such an abnormally large fine, says Sune Scheller.
/ritzau/
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