Greenpeace activists protest outside Russian consulate

A group of Greenpeace activists maintained a vigil outside the Russian consulate here Saturday, demanding release of their 30 counterparts arrested by Russian authorities in the Arctic region last week.

The 16 activists, who carried placards and banners urging "Russia, Free Our Activists", were later whisked off by police and detained for some time.

They were subsequently released without being charged.

Two days ago, a Russian court in Murmansk ordered a two-month detention for 22 of the 30 activists arrested in the Arctic region. The remaining eight were held for three days and are awaiting a new hearing on procedural issues, a Greenpeace spokesperson said in Mumbai today.

The detentions were ordered as the Russian authorities investigate the charges of piracy against the activists.

The Greenpeace International has condemned the Russian actions and said it would lodge an appeal demanding their immediate release.

After the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise was seized in the Arctic region last week, over 600,000 people around the world have written to Russian embassies and organised solidarity protests.

Alleging that the Russian authorities had boarded the Arctic Sunrise "illegally in international waters", Greenpeace International has claimed that the possible piracy charges were "unjustified".