Russia to Move Jailed Greenpeace Activists

Following decision not to charge them with piracy

MOSCOW—Thirty people jailed by Russian authorities for trying to scale a Barents Sea oil platform in protest of Arctic drilling are being moved to a jail in St. Petersburg from the northern city of Murmansk, Greenpeace said.

The move comes more than a week after authorities agreed to scrap piracy charges against the defendants and instead charge them with hooliganism, a lesser crime. But Greenpeace says the piracy charges have yet to be withdrawn, even as prosecutors have added the hooliganism charges to the docket.

"They now stand accused of both offenses, which carry a maximum sentence of 15 and 7 years, respectively," Greenpeace said Friday.