14 DAY TRIAL // It would appear that Greenpeace's clash with Russian authorities over the organization's protest against oil and gas giant Gazprom has finally come to an end.
Thus, this past December 25, the country's Investigative Committee invited the Arctic 30 to a meeting, and told them that the hooliganism charges filed against them were to be dropped.
The news comes shortly after Russia agreed to grant the 28 environmentalists, the journalist and the videographer arrested following the protest against Gazprom amnesty.
“The final chapter in the legal ordeal of the Arctic 30 began today as the group was asked to attend a meeting at Russia’s powerful Investigative Committee, where the criminal case against them is being dropped en masse,” Greenpeace writes in a press release issued on December 25.
Now that they are no longer charged with hooliganism, the Greenpeace activists are expected to also be granted permission to leave the country and return to their homes.
Greenpeace says that, on the same day that the Investigative Committee cleared them of all charges, the Arctic 30 attended a meeting with the Federal Migration Service.
On December 26, 14 of the environmentalists received exit visas. The remainder are expected to receive exit stamps on their passports this December 27.
Just yesterday, Swedish activist Dima Litvinov became the first of the Arctic 30 to leave Russia. The rest of the non-Russian protesters are expected to leave the country in the days to come.
“The Arctic 30 are leaving Russia. Swedish activist Dima Litvinov is on a train and heading for the border. He will enter Finland at 20:30 local time (17:30 GMT),” Greenpeace explains in a press release issued yesterday.
“Fourteen of the Arctic 30 were given exit stamps in their passports today, the rest will be given their stamps tomorrow. The non-Russians will all leave the country in the coming days, many of them tomorrow. They will soon be back with their families,” the organization adds.
Despite this run-in with Russian authorities, Greenpeace says that it is nowhere near done protesting drilling in the Arctic. On the contrary, the organization is more determined than ever to fight oil and gas giants such as Gazprom and do its best to keep them from exploiting this region.