British activists are among 21 crew members who say they are trapped on board a ship that was captured by Iceland last week.
The protest vessel Bandero was boarded by armed officers late on Thursday after it tried to stop an Icelandic ship from hunting whales.
The campaigners,from the Captain Paul Watson Foundation,claim they are being mistreated by the Nordic country and not allowed to leave the ship.
The activists – including two Brits – allege they are running out of supplies,being denied access to their chosen lawyers and blocked from calling loved ones.
Manolya after she was detained by Icelandic special forces (Picture: @ophelieocean.visuals)
Metro spoke to Manolya Adan,36,a British marine environmentalist trapped on board,using a laptop officers did not confiscate.
The Bandero vessel is being held in the habour of Reykjavik (Picture: Handout / CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON FOUNDATION UK / AFP via Getty Images)
Manolya claims she felt coerced into signing documents she did not fully understand (picture: Florian Lohoff)Manolya added that officers allegedly ‘blackmailed’ crew by asking them to hand over their mobile phone pin codes in return for a phone call.The Foundation also claims the lawyers they organised to represent the crew have not been allowed on board.Instead,the personnel have been forced to use lawyers appointed by officers.Recalling her police interrogation,Manolya claimed: ‘They had pieces of paper written in Icelandic which had already been printed out.‘They were pushing me to sign things that I did not understand. I felt coerced and I signed it because I was exhausted.‘I had an English translator who tried his best but other members of the crew did not have the relevant translator with them.’The activist alleges that a female crew member was observed as she slept by an armed officer,while three others were made to wait in their underwear for hours in an Icelandic cell.Manolya continued: ‘It is difficult. We don’t know what is going on. Everyone is really frustrated.‘The crew is very lucky to have each other. There is a real sentiment of camaraderie. We are having to fend for ourselves with what we have.’
A dead whale brought to shore in Iceland last month (Picture: Micah Garen/Getty Images)Icelandic national broadcaster RUV has reported that police will seek to deport the crew and ban them from returning to Iceland.Lucien Richardson,a British-French citizen on the Bandero,also told Metro: ‘We have been illegally detained on the Bandero.‘Because we are not allowed on Icelandic territory we are stuck here on the boat.‘We have not allowed access to our phones,they have been confiscated.‘We could not call a lawyer or our family and loved ones.’Metro understands the Foreign Office is aware of the Brits stuck on board the Bandero.The crew are most frustrated that they cannot continue their anti-whaling activitis.Iceland still permits the hunting and killing of whales,and the country exports most of its whale meat to Japan.What has Iceland said?
In a statement provided to Metro,Iceland’s Ministry of Justice said: ‘Since the situation began earlier this summer,it has been made clear that the Icelandic Coast Guard would,if necessary,exercise the powers available to it should circumstances require.
‘The operation carried out on Thursday evening was one of the scenarios that had been planned for. It was executed successfully,no one was injured,and Bandero has now arrived in Reykjavík harbour,where the Capital Area Police assumed responsibility for the case.
‘The matter concerned not only the safety of the crews aboard the whaling vessels,but also the crew of Bandero.
‘The case is being investigated in the same manner as any other criminal investigation,and it is essential that the rights of the suspects are fully respected throughout the process. Should members of the crew believe their rights have been violated,they can submit a complaint to the Police Monitoring Committee. According to information provided by the police,legal counsel was appointed for every member of the Bandero crew,as required by law,and arrangements were made to ensure that an interpreter was present.
‘It has been reported in the Icelandic media that the crew has been informed that they are to be deported from Iceland,pending a decision by the Directorate of Immigration.
‘Beyond this,the Ministry is unable to comment on individual aspects of the case.’
The statement continued: ‘Iceland has consistently advocated sustainable utilisation of living marine resource and,with regard to whaling,maintains a science-based and strictly regulated approach.
‘The existing legal framework remains in force under the Whaling Act No. 26/1949 and the regulations issued thereunder. The total permitted catch is set in accordance with the advice of the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute and has been reduced for 2026 compared to previous years.
‘The Minister of Industries has commissioned a comprehensive review of the legislative framework.’
Paul Watson has been at the centre of efforts to stop whaling (Picture: AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Paul Watson,75,who founded the group,is not on board the Bandero but has had previous confrontations with whaling vessels which have drawn celebrity support.
Watson was imprisoned in Greenland for five months in 2024 after being arrested on a Japanese warrant over charges of obstructing a whaling ship in 2010.
Manolya said the crew felt ‘hopeless’ they could not stop whaling while they were detained in Reykjavík.
She added: ‘We are here to protect the whales,and there is nothing we can do to control the barbaric practice’.
Iceland has previously been praised for how it looks after its prisoners.
A recent study by a University of Portsmouth professor found prisoners were provided with ‘provide[d] tranquillity and good food’,internet access and were paid substantially more than in other countries.
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