14 DAY TRIAL // Several Greenpeace activists arrested by Russian authorities back in September have left the country over these past two days, and those who are still in St. Petersburg are expected to leave over this weekend.
As reported, it was on December 25 that Russia's Investigative Committee announced that, apart from granting the Arctic 30 amnesty, the country was also ready and willing to drop the hooliganism charges filed against the environmentalists.
On December 26, 14 of the Arctic 30 received the visas they needed in order to leave the country and, on December 27, 11 other were also granted permission to exit Russia and return home.
Presently, there is just one non-Russian national that has not yet received their exit visas. However, Greenpeace expects that it is a matter of hours until this environmentalist is also allowed to leave St. Petersburg.
“We’re leaving Russia, it’s over, we’re finally truly free,” 27-year-old Alex Harris from the UK said before boarding a plane heading for Paris, as cited on Greenpeace's official website.
“It feels like the moment I’ve been waiting for, and my family too, but also for millions of people around the world who have worked for this, and I simply cannot find the words to say how grateful and humbled I am by their support,” the environmentalist added.
Despite its clash with Russian authorities, Greenpeace says that it has no intention to quit protesting drilling in the Arctic.
In fact, the organization argues that, by arresting the Arctic 30 and keeping them imprisoned for well over 3 months, Russia has accomplished no more and no less than draw further attention to the need to protect this pristine ecosystem.
As activist Dima Litvinov put it, “They may have celebrated when our ship was seized, but our imprisonment has been a disaster for them. The movement to save the Arctic is marching now.”