Russian Parliament Approves Amnesty That Could See Jailed Pussy Riot Members Released Early

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1. Russian amnesty bill to include Greenpeace crew

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's parliament on Wednesday amended an amnesty bill to include the 30-member crew of a Greenpeace ship detained after a protest at a floating oil rig in the Arctic.

The State Duma Wednesday morning adopted final amendments to the bill which gives amnesty to thousands of Russians, mainly minors, invalids, veterans, pregnant women, and women with children. The vote is expected on Wednesday afternoon.

The amnesty was extended to suspects of hooliganism, which means that charges against 30 people abroad a Greenpeace ship who were detained after a protest in Russia's Arctic in September are likely to be dropped. The bill is also expected to release Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina, the jailed members of the Pussy Riot punk band who are serving two years in prison on charges of hooliganism for an impromptu protest at Moscow's main cathedral.

Pyotr Verzilov, Tolokonnikova's husband, told The Associated Press that he expects that his wife could be freed on the day that the bill is published, which is likely to be Thursday.

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