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Should protesters be exempt from criminal charges if they are acting on environmental causes?

Canadian Paul Ruzycki was among six Greenpeace activists granted bail by Russian courts Tuesday, almost two months after being arrested for protesting oil drilling in the Pechora Sea in northwestern Russia.

A second Canadian in the infamous Arctic 30, Alexandre Paul, is scheduled for a bail hearing on Thursday.

At first glimpse, this could appear to be another case of Canadians wrongly arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, like Tarek Loubani and John Greyson, who spent almost two months in an Egyptian jail after being scooped up during a violent protest in Cairo.

[ Related: Canadian activist arrested during protest granted bail in Russia ]

But it's not. Unlike Loubani and Greyson, the two Canadian members of the Arctic 30 were clearly involved in the protest, which included scaling a massive oil rig to display a banner protesting drilling in the area, which Greenpeace says threatens the region's pristine and unique environment.

Ruzycki and Paul were initially charged with piracy, but it appears the charges have been reduced to simple 'hooliganism' ... which probably are still no laughing matter in Russia.

Greenpeace is on the record defending the Arctic protesters, as they defend all of their activities, whether it's blocking whaling vessels, spiking trees targeted for logging or any other form of civil disobedience they use to raise public awareness and slow what they deem environmental destruction.

There's no question that there isn't enough day-to-day awareness about environmental issues around the globe, and that many of the Earth's resources should be preserved. But many argue that groups like Greenpeace go over the line to create sensational news bites.

So we ask you: Should protesters be exempt from criminal charges if they are acting on environmental causes?

Have your say in the comments area below.