New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS): A group of Greenpeace activists will hold a 30-hour long protest across 30 cities in India Saturday, demanding the release of their 30 counterparts arrested by the Russian authorities in the Arctic region in September.

"Twenty-eight activists, one photographer and one videographer have been arrested in the Arctic region for peacefully protesting the drilling in the region. They face severe charges of piracy and hooliganism," said a Greenpeace spokesperson.

"Greenpeace in India will support the Arctic 30 by holding protests in 30 cities across India for a period of 30 hours," she added.

The Russian authorities have seized the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise in September and slapped charges of piracy against the 30 activists on board.

Greenpeace is a non-profit organisation, with a presence in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

Greenpeace in India has been working on various issues related to the environment since 2001. Its work in India is focused on four broad campaigns -- stop climate change, sustainable agriculture, preserving the oceans and preventing another nuclear catastrophe.