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Greenpeace Arctic: Russia bails women activists | Greenpeace Arctic: Russia bails women activists |
(35 minutes later) | |
A British woman and a Dutch woman have been granted bail by a Russian court after being detained with 28 others on a Greenpeace ship in the Arctic. | A British woman and a Dutch woman have been granted bail by a Russian court after being detained with 28 others on a Greenpeace ship in the Arctic. |
Alex Harris and Dutch national Faiza Oulahsen are expected to be freed from custody in the northern city of St Petersburg once bail is paid. | Alex Harris and Dutch national Faiza Oulahsen are expected to be freed from custody in the northern city of St Petersburg once bail is paid. |
Nine other foreign detainees and three Russians were granted bail earlier. | Nine other foreign detainees and three Russians were granted bail earlier. |
Two other Britons, Kieron Bryan and Anthony Perrett, are also hoping to be granted bail on Wednesday. | Two other Britons, Kieron Bryan and Anthony Perrett, are also hoping to be granted bail on Wednesday. |
But they will be nervous too, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from the court. Three other British activists will have their bail hearings later this week. | But they will be nervous too, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from the court. Three other British activists will have their bail hearings later this week. |
Of the 13 detainees who have appeared in court earlier this week all but one were given bail. | Of the 13 detainees who have appeared in court earlier this week all but one were given bail. |
This case has been unpredictable from the start, when the Russian reaction was far stronger than they expected, our correspondent says. | This case has been unpredictable from the start, when the Russian reaction was far stronger than they expected, our correspondent says. |
The detainees have been held on charges of hooliganism after taking part in a protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig operated by the Russian company Gazprom. | The detainees have been held on charges of hooliganism after taking part in a protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig operated by the Russian company Gazprom. |
If found guilty they face up to seven years in prison. | If found guilty they face up to seven years in prison. |
Among the others awaiting a decision on Wednesday is the ship's US captain, Peter Willcox, who was also the captain of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship blown up by French foreign intelligence in 1985. | Among the others awaiting a decision on Wednesday is the ship's US captain, Peter Willcox, who was also the captain of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship blown up by French foreign intelligence in 1985. |
Ms Harris, 27, who acted as communications officer on the ship, is originally from Devon. | Ms Harris, 27, who acted as communications officer on the ship, is originally from Devon. |
Her father, Cliff Harris, told BBC News it was "fantastic" that his daughter was being bailed. It was still unclear what conditions would be attached to bail, he said. | Her father, Cliff Harris, told BBC News it was "fantastic" that his daughter was being bailed. It was still unclear what conditions would be attached to bail, he said. |
"She is an emotional girl but I think she held it together really well," he added. | "She is an emotional girl but I think she held it together really well," he added. |
In a letter from prison to a fellow Greenpeace activist in October, quoted by the Torquay Herald Express, Ms Harris wrote: "I dream of the outside world a lot. When I wake I'm sleeping with steel bars digging into my back, facing the same four green walls I've faced for 25 days. That's the hardest time of the day. | In a letter from prison to a fellow Greenpeace activist in October, quoted by the Torquay Herald Express, Ms Harris wrote: "I dream of the outside world a lot. When I wake I'm sleeping with steel bars digging into my back, facing the same four green walls I've faced for 25 days. That's the hardest time of the day. |
"Despite everything that has happened I don't hate Russia, I just want to go home." | "Despite everything that has happened I don't hate Russia, I just want to go home." |
John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace in the UK, said: "Although this process is a long way from being resolved, today's decision by the court to grant bail to Alex will come as a huge relief to her family and friends. Our focus now will be to get the remaining activists released." | |
"The Arctic 30 still face absurd charges for peacefully protesting against oil drilling in the Arctic," the Greenpeace official added. |