This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25032277

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Russia releases Greenpeace detainees on bail Russia releases Greenpeace detainees on bail
(about 7 hours later)
A court in Russia has approved bail for two Britons arrested with 28 other people on a Greenpeace ship in the Arctic as other detainees left custody. Eleven out of 30 people arrested on a Greenpeace ship while protesting against Arctic oil drilling have left prison on bail in Russia.
The court in the northern city of St Petersburg granted bail to Frank Hewetson and Iain Rogers, along with Ukrainian detainee Ruslan Yakushev. There were joyful scenes as family and friends greeted detainees in the northern city of St Petersburg, where they had their court hearings.
Twenty others, including three Britons, have already been given bail. A further 15 have had bail approved and are awaiting formal release.
They have been detained for more than two months since their ship, the Arctic Sunrise, was seized during a protest. Hearings for three others have still to be held, while one had his application for bail denied.
The Russian authorities have charged those aboard the ship them with hooliganism over the protest near an oil platform in the Arctic Ocean. All 30 still face possible trial on charges of hooliganism over the protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig owned by the Russian company Gazprom.
Russia's reaction to the oil platform protest was far stronger than Greenpeace expected, the BBC's Daniel Sandford says. There has been a rapid change in the Russian authorities' position, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from St Petersburg.
A Brazilian activist, Ana Paula Maciel, was the first of the detainees to leave custody, emerging from her prison in St Petersburg on Wednesday. But for some reason - perhaps linked to next year's Winter Olympics in Russia - prosecutors suddenly stopped opposing bail, and the judges started setting the campaigners free, our correspondent says.
On Thursday, three Russians - photographer Denis Sinyakov, Greenpeace press secretary Andrei Allakhverdov and ship's doctor Yekaterina Zaspa - were also freed to emotional scenes. It is still unclear if they will now be allowed to leave Russia.
Russian legal procedures mean there can be a delay of several days between bail being approved and actual release from custody. Bail of 2m roubles ($61,000, £38,000) was stipulated for each detainee. 'Not guilty'
The three Britons bailed earlier this week are Alex Harris, Kieron Bryan and Anthony Perrett. The Arctic Sunrise, with a crew hailing from 16 countries, was seized by the Russian authorities on 18 September.
Others granted bail include the ship's US captain, Peter Willcox, who previously skippered Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship when it was blown up by French agents in harbour in New Zealand in 1985. Russian freelance photographer Denis Sinyakov hugged his wife after his release on Thursday while Yekaterina Zaspa, the doctor on the ship, embraced her husband.
"I am not guilty, and there is no crime in people organising peaceful protests," Sinyakov, 36, told reporters.
The other detainees freed are Greenpeace press secretary Andrei Allakhverdov from Russia, Brazilian activist Ana Paula Maciel; Camila Speziale from Argentina; Tomasz Dziemianczuk from Poland; Anne Mie Jensen from Denmark; Sini Saarela from Finland; Cristian D'Alessandro from Italy; Francesco Pisanu from France; and David Haussman from New Zealand.
Five Britons have been granted bail but are still in custody: Frank Hewetson, Iain Rogers, Alex Harris, Kieron Bryan and Anthony Perrett.
Bail has been approved for the ship's US captain, Peter Willcox, as well as Ukraine's Ruslan Yakushev; Turkey's Gizem Akhan; Canada's Alexandre Paul and Paul Ruzycki; the Netherlands' Faiza Oulahsen and Mannes Ubels; Switzerland's Marco Weber; Argentina's Miguel Orsi; and New Zealand's Jonathan Beauchamp.
One detainee, Australian radio operator Colin Russell, was ordered to remain in pre-trial detention until 24 February. Greenpeace is lodging an appeal.One detainee, Australian radio operator Colin Russell, was ordered to remain in pre-trial detention until 24 February. Greenpeace is lodging an appeal.
The other three people still waiting for their bail hearings are Phil Ball from the UK, Roman Dolgov from Russia and Dima Litvinov from Sweden.