The captain of the Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise has been granted bail by a court in northern Russia, along with 19 others from the vessel.  But consular officials are trying to find out Tasmania’s Colin Russell isn’t one of those freed.

More Greenpeace activists will get bail hearings this week.  Crewmembers from Denmark, the Netherlands, UK, and Brazil are among those freed so far.  Russian commandos boarded the Arctic Sunrise, detaining 28 activists and two journalists on charges of hooliganism after taking part in a protest at an Arctic offshore oilrig operated by the Russian company Gazprom.

But 59-year old Russell’s detention was extended by three months.

“The fact there has been a differentiated outcome between his bail application and those of the other activists obviously raises concern for us as to whether he is being treated with due legal process," senior consular official Justin Brown told a parliamentary hearing.  Brown said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has addressed the matter with the Russian ministry.

Colin will file an appeal this week.  Greenpeace said it will challenge the decision to keep him in jail, and is calling on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to call Russian President Vladimir Putin on the matter.