ST.PETERSBURG, October 1 (RAPSI, Kirill Chulkov) - The Russian Investigative Committee has closed a hooliganism case against Greenpeace activists that scaled Gazprom drilling rig in the Pechora Sea in September 2013, a press officer with Greenpeace Russia Maria Favorskaya told RAPSI Wednesday.

“Yesterday, a Greenpeace lawyer called the lead investigator in the case who said that the case had been closed on September 24. The organization was not officially informed because all the charges against the activists had already been dropped, and the Greenpeace ship released,” Favorskaya said.

The Investigative Committee of the Northwestern Federal District that was running the Greenpeace case refused to officially confirm the news and suggested contacting the main office.

The Arctic Sunrise ship was seized by Russian border guards on September 19 in international waters, within Russia's exclusive economic zone, a day after Greenpeace activists scaled the Prirazlomnaya drilling rig in the Pechora Sea, the southeastern part of the Barents Sea. 30 people were on board the vessel. All of them were detained and charged with piracy. Later the piracy charges were replaced with hooliganism charges. Last December, the activists were amnestied on the 20th anniversary of the Russian Constitution.

The seizure of the Arctic Sunrise was removed in June.