Russian authorities charged a further 16 Greenpeace activists with piracy on October 3, following a demonstration in the Arctic on September 18 at the Prirazlomnaya oil rig, owned by Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom.

The Netherlands has launched a legal action to free the 30-strong group of activists, who face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Greenpeace claims the authorities are being heavy handed.

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