Russia frees Greenpeace activists

Five of the six activists arrested by Russian authorities during a Greenpeace protest in the Arctic have been freed on bail after spending two months in detention.

Anthony Perrett, from Newport in south Wales, freelance journalist Kieron Bryan, Alexandra Harris from Exeter, Iain Rogers from Devon, and Frank Hewetson from London were among the so-called Arctic 30.

Their release followed court hearings in St Petersburg.

Mr Bryan and Ms Harris told how tough it had been when they were locked up after the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise was boarded by Russian security forces during a protest against oil drilling.

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.

“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.

Mr Bryan said: “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.

“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.”

After watching the live pictures of Mr Bryan walking out of jail, his father Andy Bryan said: “We’re absolutely thrilled Kieron is out. He looks tremendously relieved, in good shape, and doesn’t seem to have lost his sense of humour either.

“Now we just can’t wait to speak to him and then we’ll hopefully be able to see him in person too. Of course, there are still these terrible charges hanging over him. He feels a terrible injustice has been done but has also made it clear that he intends to clear his name.”

Mr Perrett is a tree surgeon and director of a community interest company which encourages and supports the use of renewable energy.

He said the Arctic was where the battle to save the planet will be fought.

Friends said he went to the Arctic driven by his belief that there are ways to live on this planet without destroying it. Before he left, he said he was nervous but not afraid of going on the trip.

The 30 were arrested during a protest against drilling in the Arctic and were initially held in Murmansk before being moved to St Petersburg.

They were charged with piracy but the authorities said this would be changed to hooliganism.

Greenpeace said the 30 had done nothing wrong, and the group has launched a worldwide campaign to have them freed.

Greenpeace International Arctic campaigner Ben Ayliffe said: “This will only really be over when he and the others are able to go home.

“For now, we are allowing ourselves a sigh of relief, all the time remembering that those brave men and women are still charged with a crime they didn’t commit, and of course our friend Colin was refused bail. This saga is far from over.

“The detainees who were released yesterday slept well last night, though some of them stayed up late talking and talking, sharing experiences. They’ve been enjoying the taste of good food and the feel of thick mattresses, but they keep talking about Colin, asking when he’ll be out, and they don’t yet know if they can go back home or if they’ll have to stay in St Petersburg.”

Australian Colin Russell, a radio engineer, was refused bail earlier this week.

PA