14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier today, Greenpeace announced that environmental activist Colin Russell had finally been granted bail by a judge in St. Petersburg, and would soon be released from prison.
The Australian was detained by Russian authorities back in September, together with 26 other Greenpeace members, a journalist and a videographer and a doctor.
The Arctic 30 were arrested in the aftermath of a Greenpeace protest against Gazprom and, at first, were all charged with piracy. After a while, Russian authorities decided that it made more sense to accuse them of hooliganism.
For some reason, Colin Russell was the last of the Arctic to be granted bail by a St. Petersburg court of law. The activist has already spent 71 days behind bars, and odds are he will have to wait until this coming weekend to be freed.
“This is such wonderful news – my daughter and I are one step closer to being in the arms of my darling Col. I am so relieved that my beautiful, peaceful man will soon be out of detention. I want to thank everyone for their wonderful support during this nightmare of a time.”
“It remains a really difficult time and it’s only when all of the Arctic 30 are free to go home will we be able to properly celebrate. What I am hoping for is that Col, Maddy and I will be home in Woodbridge together by Christmas,” Colin's wife said when hearing the news that Russia had agreed to free the activist.
As detailed on the official website for Greenpeace, the bail set for Colin Russell is one of $60,000 (€44,000). Greenpeace says that it will wire the money today, and then have lawyers draft the paperwork needed to finalize Colin Russell's release from prison.
Despite being allowed to leave prison, the Arctic 30 are still accused of hooliganism and, if found guilty, could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison.
The organization claims that the activists, the journalist, the videographer and the doctor are all innocent.
“They took peaceful action on behalf of us all, standing up against destructive Arctic oil drilling and the onslaught of climate change. Charging them with hooliganism is both an insult and an outrage and none of us will truly be celebrating until they've been allowed to return home and the charges against them have been dropped,” argues Arctic campaigner Ben Ayliffe with Greenpeace International.