Kieron Bryan Greenpeace Protester

Kieron Bryan, a freelance videographer and London resident has just been charged with “hooliganism” by a Russian court over his role in the peaceful protest on board the Greenpeace ship the Arctic Sunrise. If he is convicted, he could face a prison sentence of a maximum of 7 years. 

As a freelance videographer contracted by Greenpeace to document the protest, he is innocent of all charges and his detention by the Russian authorities represents a breach of journalist freedom in that country and a threat to other UK journalists travelling the area, as well as raising human rights issues. Several international organisations have condemned the Russian authorities' actions: Amnesty International said “The ‘hooliganism’ charge levelled against activists from the global environmental group Greenpeace today in Russia is absurd and damaging to the rule of law and must be dropped immediately”. 

This Assembly undertakes to write to the Russian Ambassador calling for his immediate release and asks the Mayor to write to the British Government and the Russian Authorities in similar terms.