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Greenpeace activists in jail
The thirty men and women detained by Russian authorities for their role in a Greenpeace stunt against an Arctic oil platform are being moved from a detention centre in Murmansk to prison in St Petersberg, Greenpeace said.
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Greenpeace activists moved to St Petersburg jail
The thirty men and women detained by Russian authorities for their role in a Greenpeace stunt against an Arctic oil platform are being moved from a detention centre in Murmansk to prison in St Petersburg, Greenpeace said.
The detainees are still being charged with piracy, and have been additionally charged with hooliganism for their stunt. In a statement, Greenpeace called for the charges against the protesters to be dropped:
"The detainees shouldn’t be in jail at all. They should be free to join their families and restart their lives.
"St Petersburg has some daylight in the winter months, unlike Murmansk. Families and consular officials will now find it easier to visit the thirty.
"But there is no guarantee that conditions inside the new detention centre will be any better than in Murmansk. In fact, they could be worse. There is no justification whatsoever to keep the Arctic 30 in any prison for a day longer. "
Russia fails to lift piracy charges against Arctic 30
Russian authorities have been criticised for failing to lift piracy charges against 30 people who were arrested in the Arctic in September, despite pledging to do so, according to Greenpeace.
Russia’s Investigative Committee announced last week that the piracy charges would be replaced with charges of hooliganism.
However, when the 30 detainees appeared before the Committee this week, the hooliganism charge was added to the piracy charge.
They now stand accused of both offences, which carry a maximum sentence of 15 and seven years, respectively.
Greenpeace said the authorities "have not been true to their word", calling their reaction "wildly disproportionate".
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Russia downgrades charges against Arctic activists
Russia downgraded the charges against Greenpeace activists from piracy to hooliganism this evening. The campaigners were facing piracy charges punishable by fifteen years in jail after a stunt on an oil rig in the Russian Arctic.
Hooliganism carries a lesser punishment, but the 30 activists and journalists being held could still face jail. Greenpeace said the reduced charges are still "wildly disproportionate" as Diplomatic Correspondent John Ray reports.
Hooligan charges 'still wildly disproportionate'
Greenpeace have confirmed that their activists have had the piracy charges against them dropped, but hit out at Russian authorities for their ongoing imprisonment, saying the charges are still "wildly disproportionate."
Russia 'drops piracy charges against Arctic activists'
Russia has dropped piracy charges against 30 people involved in a Greenpeace protest against Arctic oil drilling, Russian news agency Itar-Tass news agency report.
The charges have been dropped from piracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years to hooliganism, which has a lesser punishment, Itar-Tass said.