Two Arctic 30 Britons freed on bail by Russian court
Greenpeace activist Alexandra Harris and videographer Kieron Bryan are to be released along with 12 others
Shaun Walker in Saint Petersburg and James Meikle
The Guardian, Wednesday 20 November 2013 13.12 GMT
Alexandra Harris said she had paid a big price for a peaceful protest. Photograph: Vladimir Baryshev/AFP/Getty Images
A court in Saint Petersburg has ruled that two British citizens charged by Russian authorities with hooliganism over the Greenpeace protest in the Arctic can be freed on bail. The Greenpeace communications officer Alexandra Harris and freelance videographer Kieron Bryan were the first of six Britons among the Arctic 30 to appear in court this week.
The ruling comes after nine foreign citizens and three Russians were granted bail earlier in the week and appears to signal the first relaxation of Russia's tough stance on the Greenpeace activists, arrested two months ago after a protest against oil drilling in the Pechora sea.
An emotional Harris begged the judge to set her free, saying she promised that she would not flee Russia or hide from the investigation. Her lawyers said Greenpeace would put up 2m roubles (£38,000) as a bail surety, the same amount as has been offered for the other activists.
"It has been the hardest few months of my life," she told the court. "Every day is a mental battle. The 30 of us have paid a big price for simply a peaceful protest. I beg you to grant me bail. I am a good person."
The judge granted her request, in what appears to be a co-ordinated decision to allow the activists to go free during the investigation period. Although the 59-year-old Australian citizen Colin Russell had his detention extended on Monday, all the other activists to come before the courts have been granted their bail requests. They will be freed as soon as the money is received from Greenpeace.
The captain of the Arctic Sunrise, Peter Willcox, was also granted bail on Wednesday, along with the Dutch Greenpeace activist Faiza Oulahsen. More hearings will be held on Thursday and Friday.
The activists were apprehended in September, when armed coastguard officers descended from helicopters on to the Arctic Sunrise, Greenpeace's icebreaker. They were initially charged with piracy but now face charges of hooliganism as part of an organised group, which carries a maximum jail sentence of seven years.
They were initially held in pre-trial detention in the Arctic port of Murmansk but were moved to Saint Petersburg by prison train earlier this month.
Harris, a 27-year-old digital communications officer who joined Greenpeace two years ago and was on her first campaign, told journalists as she left the hearing: "This has been the hardest experience of my life. I'm really happy. It's not over yet but there's light at the end of the tunnel.
"It's nice that the Russians made the right decision. I love my parents and look forward to speaking to them soon."
Kieron Bryan described his detention as the 'worst possible isolation'. Photograph: Evgeny Feldman/AP
Clifford Harris, Alexandra's father, describing her release as "fantastic news", said the family had been watching progress from Britain. "We saw her arrive at court. She was smiling, happy and confident. That cheered us up. She has done brilliantly well to survive two months in Russia and remain as strong as she has."
Bryan, 29, a freelance videographer, was one of two journalists on the trip. He told Sky: "This has been really difficult and it has been made a lot easier hearing how much support I have in the UK. To my family, 'I love you and I hope to see you soon'."
Speaking of his detention, he said: "I had a couple of phone calls with my girlfriend and that's it. It's the worst possible isolation."
Bryan said conditions in Murmansk had been terrible. "I think we're very lucky in the UK. Things were better in Saint Petersburg because they decorated my cell and made it look nice."
His brother Russell said: "It is amazing to know he won't be spending Christmas in a prison cell. Mum and Nancy, his girlfriend, have lived every minute in the cell with him. Clearly it is not over. We have to keep fighting until the charges are dropped. He still faces some very serious charges.
"As well as being delighted we are still very aware the whole process is ongoing. We still want to be over there really."
Russell said the family still did not know the conditions of bail, although there had been rumours that those allowed out of detention might be able to return home. He and his father were "desperate to go out and see him but we are having some issues with visas", he said.
More than half the Arctic 30 have now been granted bail, with only Russell, the Australian, denied it. Greenpeace International said on Tuesday it had already posted bail for nine of those detained but did not expect them to be released before the weekend. Lawyers say they are making the bail payments as quickly as they can.
The big question now remains how the bail conditions will work. Greenpeace said it had booked hotel rooms for the activists, but as none of the foreign detainees have Russian visas, they are technically not allowed to be on Russian territory. Lawyers said it was unfamiliar legal territory.
