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| Greenpeace charges: UK raises British cases with Russia | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government has raised the case of six Britons held in Russia on piracy charges after a Greenpeace protest with the country's authorities. | |
| In a written statement, Europe minister David Lidington said Foreign Office officials had discussed the case with Russia's ambassador in the UK. | In a written statement, Europe minister David Lidington said Foreign Office officials had discussed the case with Russia's ambassador in the UK. |
| Last month, Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke to his Russian counterpart. | Last month, Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke to his Russian counterpart. |
| The Britons were among 30 arrested last month over a protest on an Arctic oil rig owned by Russian company Gazprom. | The Britons were among 30 arrested last month over a protest on an Arctic oil rig owned by Russian company Gazprom. |
| They are freelance video producer Kieron Bryan and logistics co-ordinator Frank Hewetson - both from London; activist Anthony Perrett from Newport in Wales; communications officer Alexandra Harris, originally from Devon; activist Philip Ball from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire; and 2nd engineer Iain Rogers, from Exeter. | They are freelance video producer Kieron Bryan and logistics co-ordinator Frank Hewetson - both from London; activist Anthony Perrett from Newport in Wales; communications officer Alexandra Harris, originally from Devon; activist Philip Ball from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire; and 2nd engineer Iain Rogers, from Exeter. |
| They are all being held in the port of Murmansk, in north-west Russia. The charge of piracy carries a prison term of up to 15 years in Russia. | |
| On Wednesday, in a new development, Russian investigators said they have found what appeared to be drugs on board the Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise. | |
| In his written ministerial statement, Mr Lidington outlined the support that the government has given the Britons so far. | In his written ministerial statement, Mr Lidington outlined the support that the government has given the Britons so far. |
| He said consular officials attended the group's court hearings between 26 and 29 September and were able to talk to them and take messages back to family and friends in the UK. | He said consular officials attended the group's court hearings between 26 and 29 September and were able to talk to them and take messages back to family and friends in the UK. |
| Officials visited them again on 3 and 4 October, after they had been charged with piracy, to check on their welfare. | Officials visited them again on 3 and 4 October, after they had been charged with piracy, to check on their welfare. |
| He also said Mr Hague met Greenpeace bosses last week to discuss their concerns about due process and welfare. During the meeting the foreign secretary made it clear he was following the case closely and had spoken to Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on 25 September, Mr Lidington said. | He also said Mr Hague met Greenpeace bosses last week to discuss their concerns about due process and welfare. During the meeting the foreign secretary made it clear he was following the case closely and had spoken to Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on 25 September, Mr Lidington said. |
| Further meetings have been held between senior Foreign Office officials and Russia's ambassador to the UK on 26 September and between the UK's ambassador in Moscow and Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov on 2 October. | Further meetings have been held between senior Foreign Office officials and Russia's ambassador to the UK on 26 September and between the UK's ambassador in Moscow and Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov on 2 October. |
| Previously, Mr Hague has said British officials will continue to raise specific concerns Greenpeace had about the legal process with Moscow. | Previously, Mr Hague has said British officials will continue to raise specific concerns Greenpeace had about the legal process with Moscow. |
| Dutch legal action | |
| The Netherlands has launched legal action to free the activists. Two of its citizens are among those charged, along with people from Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Russia and the US. | |
| On Saturday, hundreds of people, including actor Jude Law and musician Damon Albarn, staged a demonstration against the piracy charges in London. Similar events were held in more than 40 countries. | On Saturday, hundreds of people, including actor Jude Law and musician Damon Albarn, staged a demonstration against the piracy charges in London. Similar events were held in more than 40 countries. |
| The Arctic Sunrise was intercepted by coastguards on 19 September after two Greenpeace activists tried to haul themselves up onto a huge offshore drilling platform operated by state-controlled Gazprom. | |
| Greenpeace says drilling for oil in the Arctic puts a delicate environment at risk. | Greenpeace says drilling for oil in the Arctic puts a delicate environment at risk. |