MOSCOW. Oct 10 (Interfax) - An opinion studies group said 38% of Russians questioned in a recent poll expressed approval of Russia's criminal action against the 30-strong crew of Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise.
Some of the supporters of the measure told the Superjob.ru portal in a survey this month that the Greenpeace activists "could have disrupted the technological production process and could have cause tremendous environmental harm."
Others said they essentially backed the activists' prosecution but argued that their "piracy" charges were excessive and that Russia has enough other laws to charge them under.
There were more men than women among those in favor of criminal proceedings against the activists.
The measure was condemned by 23% of respondents, who typically branded it is as "complete lawlessness on the part of Russian security services."
Those questioned, 1,600 altogether, included 17% - more women than men among them - who said they had known nothing about the Arctic Sunrise affair until the Superjob.ru poll.
Of the respondents aged 24 or less, 40% had been unaware of the story. At the same time, only 7% of those aged 45 or older hadn't heard of the affair. Forty-nine percent in the 45 plus category believed legal action against the activists was a good idea.
Twenty-two percent were undecided.