A Russian court today extended the pre-trial detention of one of 30 Greenpeace activists arrested for a protest against Arctic oil drilling, but unexpectedly freed a Russian doctor on bail.
Yekaterina Zaspa, a doctor with Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise icebreaker, became the first of the arrested crewmembers to be freed pending trial, after two months in detention.
She was released on bail of two million rubles (USD 61,400, 45,500 euros), Greenpeace said, citing the ruling of the Kalininsky court in Russia's second city, Saint Petersburg.
Earlier today, another Saint Petersburg court extended the pre-trial detention of Australian activist Colin Russell until February 24, meaning he could remain in jail until Russia is done hosting the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, which end on February 23.
The rulings suggest that Russian authorities may free at least some of the ship's auxiliary staff on bail while extending the detention of key activists.
Earlier today the judge at Saint Petersburg's Primorsky court, who heard Russell's case, decided to "leave the pre-trial restrictions unchanged until February 24".
A request for bail or house arrest was denied.
"I love you all. I love everybody," said Russell, 59, after the judge announced her decision. "I am not a criminal," he said in comments released by Greenpeace.
Earlier in the day Russell insisted he was innocent.
"I have spent two months in detention, having done nothing wrong," Russell, looking visibly upset, said from a metal cage in the courtroom.
"I have not committed a crime so I have nothing to run from."
Greenpeace International executive director Kumi Naidoo said: "This case is now a circus.
"We will continue to pursue every legal avenue we can, and leave no stone unturned, until each and every one of them is home with their families," he said in a statement.
The two courts were scheduled to rule on the detention of several more activists and freelance journalists, but some of the hearings were postponed until later this week.
The Kalininsky court was also scheduled to decide on the detention of Russian photographer Denis Sinyakov. The prosecution demanded that his extension be extended by three months, Greenpeace said on Twitter.
