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/uk-wales-25048569
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Five British Greenpeace activists freed after Russian detention | Five British Greenpeace activists freed after Russian detention |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Five Britons arrested by Russian authorities during a Greenpeace protest in the Arctic have been freed on bail after two months in detention. | Five Britons arrested by Russian authorities during a Greenpeace protest in the Arctic have been freed on bail after two months in detention. |
| They were arrested in September on hooliganism charges with 25 others after a protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig. | They were arrested in September on hooliganism charges with 25 others after a protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig. |
| Anthony Perrett, Alex Harris, Kieron Bryan, Frank Hewetson and Iain Rogers were freed on Friday. | Anthony Perrett, Alex Harris, Kieron Bryan, Frank Hewetson and Iain Rogers were freed on Friday. |
| Philip Ball, from Oxford, has been granted bail but remains in detention. | Philip Ball, from Oxford, has been granted bail but remains in detention. |
| Greenpeace said Mr Ball might not be released until Monday but it could not be certain. | Greenpeace said Mr Ball might not be released until Monday but it could not be certain. |
| It said all those released had moved to an undisclosed location in St Petersburg. | It said all those released had moved to an undisclosed location in St Petersburg. |
| The crew of Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise originally faced piracy charges. | The crew of Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise originally faced piracy charges. |
| The organisation said Mr Perrett, 32, from Newport, was the first of the Britons to be released from detention in St Petersburg on Friday. | The organisation said Mr Perrett, 32, from Newport, was the first of the Britons to be released from detention in St Petersburg on Friday. |
| Mr Bryan, 29, from London, whose family has campaigned for his release, was the second to be freed. | Mr Bryan, 29, from London, whose family has campaigned for his release, was the second to be freed. |
| Ms Harris, from Exeter, was third and quickly followed by Mr Hewetson, from London and Mr Rogers, also from Devon. | Ms Harris, from Exeter, was third and quickly followed by Mr Hewetson, from London and Mr Rogers, also from Devon. |
| Ms Harris revealed she was kept in a cell on her own after being taken to a prison in Murmansk. | Ms Harris revealed she was kept in a cell on her own after being taken to a prison in Murmansk. |
| "For the first week it was really harsh. It was nerve-wracking," she told BBC News immediately after being released. | "For the first week it was really harsh. It was nerve-wracking," she told BBC News immediately after being released. |
| "I was in a cell on my own. You do get used to it, but it was tough." | "I was in a cell on my own. You do get used to it, but it was tough." |
| Ms Harris said letters from supporters had kept her going. | Ms Harris said letters from supporters had kept her going. |
| Ten non-UK activists have had bail approved with some of them also being released. | Ten non-UK activists have had bail approved with some of them also being released. |
| All 30 of those originally detained still face possible trial on charges of hooliganism over the protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig owned by the Russian company Gazprom. | All 30 of those originally detained still face possible trial on charges of hooliganism over the protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig owned by the Russian company Gazprom. |
| Mr Perrett told BBC News via Skype he was "feeling wonderful" to be free. | Mr Perrett told BBC News via Skype he was "feeling wonderful" to be free. |
| "It's certainly an experience I won't forget in a hurry," he said. | "It's certainly an experience I won't forget in a hurry," he said. |
| "I'm feeling very good, very glad to be out of prison and raring to get back to work [in forestry]. | "I'm feeling very good, very glad to be out of prison and raring to get back to work [in forestry]. |
| "At the moment things are a little bit uncertain so I'll be staying in St Petersburg for the foreseeable future. I hope to be back in Wales before too long but this is all dependent upon the Russian authorities. | "At the moment things are a little bit uncertain so I'll be staying in St Petersburg for the foreseeable future. I hope to be back in Wales before too long but this is all dependent upon the Russian authorities. |
| "Like any Welshman, being out of Wales is never that much fun for an extended period. | "Like any Welshman, being out of Wales is never that much fun for an extended period. |
| "Being able to use a toilet alone is a great thing. | "Being able to use a toilet alone is a great thing. |
| "It's only really sharpened my interest in getting the environmental cause forward. Fingers crossed I'll get back to work soon. | "It's only really sharpened my interest in getting the environmental cause forward. Fingers crossed I'll get back to work soon. |
| "I'd like to say thanks for all the support from back home and Greenpeace." | "I'd like to say thanks for all the support from back home and Greenpeace." |
| 'Isolation' | 'Isolation' |
| Mr Bryan told BBC News it had been "tough" for the group, who were arrested two months ago. | Mr Bryan told BBC News it had been "tough" for the group, who were arrested two months ago. |
| "More than anything, it's the isolation and not being able to speak to anyone, not being able to speak a common language. | "More than anything, it's the isolation and not being able to speak to anyone, not being able to speak a common language. |
| "Being trapped in a cell for 24 hours a day is something I don't ever want to experience again, and there are a lot of people inside who have to carry on doing that. | "Being trapped in a cell for 24 hours a day is something I don't ever want to experience again, and there are a lot of people inside who have to carry on doing that. |
| "My plan now is to go to a hotel and have a long shower, leave my room whenever I want, never do another Sudoku puzzle again, and speak to my family. That's the main plan. | "My plan now is to go to a hotel and have a long shower, leave my room whenever I want, never do another Sudoku puzzle again, and speak to my family. That's the main plan. |
| "No idea about what happens next. I'm just focusing on getting through today, speaking to my family, and I'll deal with everything from then." | "No idea about what happens next. I'm just focusing on getting through today, speaking to my family, and I'll deal with everything from then." |
| Mr Perrett's partner, Zaharah Ally, told BBC News of her joy and relief at speaking to him. | Mr Perrett's partner, Zaharah Ally, told BBC News of her joy and relief at speaking to him. |
| "His lawyer gave him his phone so he could call me from the car. | "His lawyer gave him his phone so he could call me from the car. |
| "He said that he had been very anxious, just waiting to hear about his release. He had made very good friends with his cell mate - and he had been watching the same rat outside his cell window," she said. | "He said that he had been very anxious, just waiting to hear about his release. He had made very good friends with his cell mate - and he had been watching the same rat outside his cell window," she said. |
| "He was happy and in quite good spirits. | "He was happy and in quite good spirits. |
| "It was lovely to speak to him. It was lots of giggles, laughter and my first question was 'how are you'? We just chatted and caught up - it's the longest we've ever gone without speaking to each other. We were very excited to hear from each other." | "It was lovely to speak to him. It was lots of giggles, laughter and my first question was 'how are you'? We just chatted and caught up - it's the longest we've ever gone without speaking to each other. We were very excited to hear from each other." |
| Ms Ally said Mr Perrett has been told he will have to remain in St Petersburg and she is expecting to travel to Russia as soon as possible. | Ms Ally said Mr Perrett has been told he will have to remain in St Petersburg and she is expecting to travel to Russia as soon as possible. |
| Greenpeace campaigner Ben Ayliffe said: "This is a wonderful moment for Anthony and his family and friends. But this will only really be over when he and the others are able to go home." | Greenpeace campaigner Ben Ayliffe said: "This is a wonderful moment for Anthony and his family and friends. But this will only really be over when he and the others are able to go home." |
| Departure unclear | Departure unclear |
| On Thursday, the BBC reported Russian prosecutors suddenly stopped opposing bail, and the judges started setting the campaigners free. | On Thursday, the BBC reported Russian prosecutors suddenly stopped opposing bail, and the judges started setting the campaigners free. |
| It is still unclear if they will now be allowed to leave Russia. | It is still unclear if they will now be allowed to leave Russia. |
| The Arctic Sunrise, with a crew from 16 countries, was seized by the Russian authorities on 18 September. | The Arctic Sunrise, with a crew from 16 countries, was seized by the Russian authorities on 18 September. |
| In total, 29 of the 30 detainees have been granted bail and the majority released from custody. | In total, 29 of the 30 detainees have been granted bail and the majority released from custody. |
| Those freed on bail include the ship's US captain, Peter Willcox; Canadian Paul Ruzycki; the Netherlands' Faiza Oulahsen and Mannes Ubels; Switzerland's Marco Weber; Argentina's Miguel Orsi; and New Zealand's Jonathan Beauchamp. | Those freed on bail include the ship's US captain, Peter Willcox; Canadian Paul Ruzycki; the Netherlands' Faiza Oulahsen and Mannes Ubels; Switzerland's Marco Weber; Argentina's Miguel Orsi; and New Zealand's Jonathan Beauchamp. |
| Bail has also been approved for Ukraine's Ruslan Yakushev, Gizem Akhan from Turkey, and Canadian Alexandre Paul but there was no news on their release. | Bail has also been approved for Ukraine's Ruslan Yakushev, Gizem Akhan from Turkey, and Canadian Alexandre Paul but there was no news on their release. |
| Reports said the three remaining detainees - Philip Ball from Oxford, Roman Dolgov from Russia and Dima Litvinov from Sweden - were granted bail on Friday. | Reports said the three remaining detainees - Philip Ball from Oxford, Roman Dolgov from Russia and Dima Litvinov from Sweden - were granted bail on Friday. |
| One detainee, Australian radio operator Colin Russell, has been ordered to remain in pre-trial detention until 24 February. Greenpeace is lodging an appeal. |