The amnesty affects prisoners convicted of what are usually considered more petty and non-violent offenses, apparently including "hooliganism," which were charges leveraged against both the Greenpeace Arctic 30 activists along with the musician-activists from the group Pussy Riot. Initially, the Arctic 30 were charged with "piracy," but those allegations were reduced.
Pussy Riot defiantly staged an anti-Putin "punk prayer protest" on the podium of a Russian Orthodox Church. The two women still in prison were serving a two year sentence and scheduled for release in March.
The Greenpeace Arctic 30 were arrested by the Russian authorities while scaling an oil rig in the Pechora Sea in non-violent protest of the first oil drilling planned in that ecologically fragile region. Traveling aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, the 30 crew members with 2 journalists faced initially up to fifteen year sentences, then, up to seven years with the adjusted charges.
The arrests of both groups have inspired worldwide protests including millions of people demanding their release.
Al Jazeera reports that the amnesty affects 26,000 people including the "most vulnerable sectors of society," such as mothers of young children, minors, and the elderly. Pussy Riot is also affected under the provision that will release the mothers of young children.
Protesters arrested during a May 2012 Moscow rally will also be released, though persons imprisoned for allegedly hitting police officers during these events will not be freed. That rally took place one day before Putin's inauguration for a third term.
The amnesty bill was drafted by Putin himself and comes in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution, going into effect tomorrow, when Pussy Riot is expected to be out from behind bars.
The joyous news spread quickly on twitter, along with measured reminders about the greater issues at stake in the Arctic, and comments about the irony of being freed for crimes one did not commit in the first place:
The #Arctic30 are granted amnesty, but the Arctic doesn't get amnesty #savethearctic pic.twitter.com/IYPx518F09
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) December 18, 2013
"I might soon be going home to my family but I should never have been charged in the first place" - Peter Willcox pic.twitter.com/m5KeVDUdnN
— Greenpeace USA (@greenpeaceusa) December 18, 2013
.@CamilaSpeziale "My Christmas wish is for this little friend to be safe" #SaveTheArctic pic.twitter.com/a6CAaITRaj
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) December 18, 2013<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"
Political cartoonist Peter Schrank designed this card for #FreeTheArctic30. Get yours here: http://t.co/DfiLIwxic2 pic.twitter.com/cNMzRINlRr
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) December 17, 2013
Heartwarming: Miguel is reunited with his wife and daughter in St Petersburg. http://t.co/boaGoziO4z #FreeTheArctic30
— Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) December 2, 2013
Alexandra Harris: "It's strange that we are being forgiven for a crime we didn't commit" #theArctic30 #Greenpeace #NoAmnestyfortheArctic
— Mix (@mixdevil66) December 18, 2013
Greenpeace released more photos here of the Arctic 30 activists having heard the news in Saint Petersburg where they have been out on bail.
Below, a 2009 Greenpeace video with polar explorer Eric Phillips explaining the dramatic effects of climate change on the Greenland Ice Sheet.
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