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Last Of 30 Greenpeace Detainees Freed


The 'Arctic Sunrise,' Greenpeace's protest ship
The 'Arctic Sunrise,' Greenpeace's protest ship
Russian authorities have released the last of 30 people detained after a Greenpeace protest at a Gazprom oil rig in the Arctic Ocean.

Australian Colin Russell walked free from a St. Petersburg prison on November 29, one day after being granted bail of 2 million rubles ($61,500) in an appeal hearing.

Russell had been initially denied bail when hearings started last week. All the others were released.

The 30, initially charged with piracy, still face charges for hooliganism, which carries a sentence of up to seven years.

They were detained following an attempt by some of the activists to scale a Gazprom offshore drilling platform.

It is unclear whether the foreigners in the group will be allowed to leave Russia before the start of the trial.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa

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