Regional Court Of Murmansk News

Greenpeace International activist Frank Hewetson (U.K.) has been refused bail by the Regional Court of Murmansk in Russia, bringing the number of rejected bail appeals to 10. Activist Marco Weber (Switzerland) also appeared in court today, but his appeal hearing was postponed until October 21 due to the lack of a German language translator. Italian crew member Cristian D'Alessandro will appear in court later  for his bail hearing and more appeals will be held later this week.

The Regional Court of Murmansk rejected an application made by lawyers for two Greenpeace International activists and a freelance photographer that they be released on bail. A further 27 cases requesting bail will be heard later this week. Twenty-eight Greenpeace International activists, a freelance photographer and a freelance videographer were seized by Russian special forces on the ship Arctic Sunrise in international waters 19 days ago. Their arrests followed a peaceful protest at the Gazprom Arctic oil platform Prirazlomnaya. Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo said, “There can be no justification for the continued detention of activists who did nothing more than express their beliefs through entirely peaceful means.