Quebec asks for release of two activists in Russia

The Quebec government has asked Russia to release two Greenpeace activits who were arrested on September 19th.

CBC News reports, that Alexandre Paul of Montreal and Paul Ruzycki of Port Colbourne, Ontario were arrested along with others at a Greenpeace rally opposing Russia's plans for the Arctic.

Two members of the group tried to scale an oil platform tower owned by oil-giant Gazprom the previous day.

The men have been imprisoned in Murmansk, which is located in northwestern Russia.

The P.Q.'s minister responsible for international relations, Jean-Francois Lisee has stated that the charges the group faces are disproportianate to their crime and must therefore be released from custody.

Lisee joined a vigil held on Saturday evening in downtown Montreal, calling for the release of these men.

The prisoners have been charged with piracy and thus face a possible 15 year sentence.

Flickr Photo by: Mark van Laere