Nine of Greenpeace’s Arctic 30 activists released on bail
A court in St Petersburg, Russia, has released nine of the Arctic 30 Greenpeace protesters charged with piracy on bail. The activists, arrested on board the Arctic Sunrise ship, will be released once their bail sums are paid by Greenpeace. They will have to return to Russia if requested by investigators.
Since there arrest two months ago and initially being charged with piracy, now with hooliganism, there has been an international campaign seeking their release. Another member of the Arctic 30 is being held until February, at least:
“This morning a judge at St Petersburg’s Primorskiy courthouse ruled that Australian Colin Russell must remain in jail until February 24 while the investigation into a protest continues. A request for bail or house arrest was denied.”
Below is a video of Colin Russell in court. Greenpeace writes about his appearance “Colin Russell delivers a powerful speech to media during his detention hearing at Primorskiy Court in St. Petersburg. The Russian Investigative Committee is applying to keep the detainees in prison for a further three months while they investigate their alleged crimes.”