December, 24 2013, 12:10pm EDT
First Case Dropped Against Arctic 30 Activist, Exit Visa Sought
UK national Anthony Perrett today became the first Arctic 30 activist to have the criminal case against him dropped. He has now requested an exit visa from the Federal Migration Service to allow him to leave Russia.
In reaction, Anthony, originally from Newport, Wales said:
WASHINGTON
UK national Anthony Perrett today became the first Arctic 30 activist to have the criminal case against him dropped. He has now requested an exit visa from the Federal Migration Service to allow him to leave Russia.
In reaction, Anthony, originally from Newport, Wales said:
"It's time to go home, it's time to get back to Wales, and I just got one big step closer. I took peaceful action to defend a fragile region under profound threat and instead I was seized by armed commandos at sea and spent two months in detention. This is not over yet. The Arctic is melting before our eyes and yet the oil companies are lining up to profit from its destruction. This is why I took action, to expose them and mobilise people to demand Arctic protection. I am proud of what I did."
The migration service told Anthony today it will contact him on Thursday December 26 to collect his visa, which means he will now not be home in time for December 25 festivities.
Anthony is one of the people who was seized when the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise was boarded after a peaceful protest at Gazprom's drill platform in the Pechora Sea. They need exit visas because they were charged and then bailed inside Russia after they were detained in international waters beyond Russia's territorial waters.
The Russian Parliament approved an amnesty decree last week freeing defendants who have been charged with hooliganism. It therefore included the Arctic 30 - the 28 Greenpeace International activists and two freelance journalists who were arrested following a peaceful protest at a Gazprom-operated Arctic oil platform three months ago.
ENDS
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Greenpeace International press desk: +31 20 718 24 70 or pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org
Greenpeace International picture desk: +31 20 718 24 71
Greenpeace International video desk: +31 20 718 24 72
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
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