Kremlin Adviser Recommends Dropping Greenpeace Piracy Charges

Says prosecutors taking arbitrary approach to applying law

A human rights adviser to the Kremlin has called for prosecutors to drop piracy charges against a group of Greenpeace activists, saying the case is tantamount to accusing them of gang-raping an oil platform.

Mikhail Fedotov said Thursday that prosecutors had adopted an arbitrary approach to applying the criminal code.

"Might as well have charged them with attempted gang rape of an oil platform," Fedotov said.

Thirty Greenpeace activists were detained last month during a high-seas protest after several of them attempted to climb up an Arctic oil rig operated by energy giant Gazprom.