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| Greenpeace activist Alex Harris says 'code' kept her going in prison | Greenpeace activist Alex Harris says 'code' kept her going in prison |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British Greenpeace activist Alex Harris has said she felt so alone in a Russian prison that she communicated by tapping out messages on pipes. | British Greenpeace activist Alex Harris has said she felt so alone in a Russian prison that she communicated by tapping out messages on pipes. |
| Ms Harris, from Exeter, said the code "kept her going" during the 23 hours a day she spent alone in her cell. | Ms Harris, from Exeter, said the code "kept her going" during the 23 hours a day she spent alone in her cell. |
| The 27-year-old was among 30 people held when activists tried to scale an offshore oil platform in September. | The 27-year-old was among 30 people held when activists tried to scale an offshore oil platform in September. |
| Ms Harris was released on bail but, along with the others, faces possible trial on charges of hooliganism. | Ms Harris was released on bail but, along with the others, faces possible trial on charges of hooliganism. |
| The protest was aimed at an oil rig in the Russian Arctic owned by the energy giant Gazprom. | The protest was aimed at an oil rig in the Russian Arctic owned by the energy giant Gazprom. |
| Initially the Russians charged the 30 people onboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise - 28 activists and two journalists - with piracy, which has a maximum penalty of 15 years. The new charge has a maximum penalty of seven years. | |
| Describing her time in a jail in Murmansk, where the crew were originally held, Ms Harris told the BBC she was initially "terrified". | Describing her time in a jail in Murmansk, where the crew were originally held, Ms Harris told the BBC she was initially "terrified". |
| "I didn't know where my friends were, what was going on, no-one could speak English and I couldn't communicate with anyone. I couldn't sleep, it was horrible," she said. | |
| 'Peaceful process' | 'Peaceful process' |
| She said she was not sure how she got through the first two weeks, where all she did was "sit there and worry and stress about the situation". | |
| "Most days I spent 23 hours on my own - one hour was allowed for walking. That kept me going as we could shout to each other over the walls," she said. | "Most days I spent 23 hours on my own - one hour was allowed for walking. That kept me going as we could shout to each other over the walls," she said. |
| It got better when she discovered her prison cell was next door to another activist. | It got better when she discovered her prison cell was next door to another activist. |
| "We managed to have some conversation on the radiator pipes - one tap was A, two taps was B. Sometimes it took 23 taps to get out one letter. | "We managed to have some conversation on the radiator pipes - one tap was A, two taps was B. Sometimes it took 23 taps to get out one letter. |
| "Even though we couldn't see each other, it felt like we were together," she said. | "Even though we couldn't see each other, it felt like we were together," she said. |
| But she said she still had moments of panic, especially when the detainees were moved to a jail in St Petersburg because she was scared of "the unknown". | But she said she still had moments of panic, especially when the detainees were moved to a jail in St Petersburg because she was scared of "the unknown". |
| She also told the BBC she feared a 15-year prison sentence might result in her not being able to have children. | She also told the BBC she feared a 15-year prison sentence might result in her not being able to have children. |
| But Ms Harris said she did not blame Greenpeace because no-one could have predicted what happened. | |
| "In all of Greenpeace's history, nothing like this has happened. | "In all of Greenpeace's history, nothing like this has happened. |
| "I thought the worst-case scenario might be that they'd bring us to Russia, that they could arrest us. I never once imagined I'd spend two months in a Russian jail for a peaceful protest," she said. | |
| She described being bailed as a "positive step", but she said still was not free. | She described being bailed as a "positive step", but she said still was not free. |
| "It could drag on for a long time, I'm still nervous, I still have trouble sleeping and trouble eating," she said. | "It could drag on for a long time, I'm still nervous, I still have trouble sleeping and trouble eating," she said. |
| However Ms Harris said that even though it had been an "incredibly tough experience", she did not regret her decision to join Arctic Sunrise. | |
| The other five British people who were arrested on the ship were: Anthony Perrett, from Newport in south Wales; Philip Ball from Oxford; freelance journalist Kieron Bryan; Iain Rogers from Devon; and Frank Hewetson from London. | The other five British people who were arrested on the ship were: Anthony Perrett, from Newport in south Wales; Philip Ball from Oxford; freelance journalist Kieron Bryan; Iain Rogers from Devon; and Frank Hewetson from London. |