Arctic 30 and Pussy Riot to be freed

[StoneHappyMonday]

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/18/jailed-pussy-riot-russian-amnesty

The Greenpeace Arctic 30 could be home for Christmas, and the two jailed members of the punk group Pussy Riot will be released from jail as early as Thursday, after a wide-ranging amnesty law was passed by the Russian parliament on Wednesday. The Pussy Riot pair are serving a two-year jail sentence, while the Greenpeace activists are charged with hooliganism and are currently on bail for trial in St Petersburg.

The amnesty, backed by Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, is timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Russia's constitution, and is being seen as a move to boost Russia's image ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, due to start in less than two months. An amendment to the amnesty law on passed Wednesday morning extended the amnesty to suspects in cases of hooliganism, which includes the Arctic 30, arrested aboard the Greenpeace ship the Arctic Sunrise in September. The Greenpeace activists expressed relief, though Arctic Sunrise captain Peter Willcox said: "There is no amnesty for the Arctic."

Yay.

 

[mydrugbuddy]

good stuff. So Putin does buckle under presssure.

 

[ScotchMist]

Everyone buckles under pressure, just some more than others..

Excellent stuff though

 

[StoneHappyMonday]

Oh and its amazing what the eyes of the world watching your upcoming olympics can do for sure...

 

[kingme]

now its time for the US to grant amnesty to Snowden...

 

[Sammy G]

now its time for the US to grant amnesty to Snowden...

I can see that happening soon...

 

[kingme]

Russia - Ukraine relations are also quite good. at least between the presidents....
too bad about the thousands of protesters in Kiev
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304403804579263963348323966

 

[Sammy G]

I think anybody protesting on the streets of Kiev in mid-December really means it, don't you?

"Ukraine's trade with Russia makes it impossible for us to act in any other way," Mr. Yanukovych said, referring to the deep economic links between the two countries. "There is no alternative to this."

Not when Putin's attempting to bankrupt your country there isn't.

 

[kingme]

I think anybody protesting on the streets of Kiev in mid-December really means it, don't you?

hehe reminds me of how they had the climate change summit in copenhagen in december in 2009. enviromentalist protesters at -10c in the streets, moving really slowly... now thats crowd control!