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Remand hearing for Greenpeace team held in Russia Remand hearing for Greenpeace team held in Russia
(35 minutes later)
A Russian court is meeting to rule on whether 30 Greenpeace activists should stay in custody pending an inquiry into their actions during an oil protest. A Russian court has begun hearings to decide whether 30 Greenpeace activists should stay in custody over their actions during an oil protest.
Activists were ferried to the courthouse in police vans in Murmansk, a port city north of the Arctic Circle. One, a Russian photographer, was remanded in custody for two months by the court in Murmansk, a port city north of the Arctic Circle.
Coastguards arrested the activists on suspicion of piracy after two scaled an offshore drilling platform. Rulings are expected shortly for the other activists, who come from 18 different countries.
Greenpeace says the campaigners, who are from 18 countries, were staging a legal, peaceful protest. Greenpeace says the activists were staging a legal, peaceful protest.
Coastguards arrested them on suspicion of piracy after two scaled an offshore drilling platform.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the activists are obviously "not pirates" but did not criticise their continued detention.Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the activists are obviously "not pirates" but did not criticise their continued detention.
The charge of piracy carries a prison term of up to 15 years in Russia.The charge of piracy carries a prison term of up to 15 years in Russia.
'Absurd' charge'Absurd' charge
The 30 activists are due to be heard in groups, in six different rooms of Murmansk's Lenin district court, a court representative told Interfax news agency. Denis Sinyakov, a Russian freelance photographer, was ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for two months.
TV teams which crowded into one courtroom broadcast the hearing of Russian activists, who faced the court from a metal cage, still wearing handcuffs. Mr Sinyakov faced the court from a metal cage, still wearing handcuffs, at Murmansk's Lenin district court.
The decision was met with dismay among journalists and photographers in Russia. A protest has been called outside the office of the Investigative Committee - Russia's equivalent of the FBI - in Moscow, the Guardian's Shaun Walker said in a tweet.
The 30 activists are being heard in groups, in six different rooms of the courthouse, a court representative told Interfax news agency.
Dmitry Artamonov, a Greenpeace co-ordinator, told the Associated Press that the charges were "absurd". "There can be no other decision except for the release of all the people, including the crew members and all passengers," he said.Dmitry Artamonov, a Greenpeace co-ordinator, told the Associated Press that the charges were "absurd". "There can be no other decision except for the release of all the people, including the crew members and all passengers," he said.
Greenpeace says that all of the activists have now been questioned in the presence of lawyers. Relatives of some of them told the BBC on Tuesday that they had spoken to them and they were all being well treated.Greenpeace says that all of the activists have now been questioned in the presence of lawyers. Relatives of some of them told the BBC on Tuesday that they had spoken to them and they were all being well treated.
The drama began a week ago, when two activists successfully climbed on to the side of a platform operated by Gazprom, Russia's state gas monopoly.The drama began a week ago, when two activists successfully climbed on to the side of a platform operated by Gazprom, Russia's state gas monopoly.
They were detained after a short skirmish in inflatable dinghies in which armed Russian FSB officers in balaclavas fired warning shots into the water.They were detained after a short skirmish in inflatable dinghies in which armed Russian FSB officers in balaclavas fired warning shots into the water.
The ship, the Arctic Sunrise, with all its crew was then towed to Murmansk.The ship, the Arctic Sunrise, with all its crew was then towed to Murmansk.
Russia views its huge fossil fuel deposits under the Arctic as vital to its economic future, which is why it takes any threat to their exploitation very seriously, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from Moscow.Russia views its huge fossil fuel deposits under the Arctic as vital to its economic future, which is why it takes any threat to their exploitation very seriously, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from Moscow.
The campaigners on the ship are from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Russia, the UK and the US, Greenpeace said.The campaigners on the ship are from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Russia, the UK and the US, Greenpeace said.