Twelve activists from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and Belgium protested peacefully against dirty coal by displaying banners on the mining tower of a Slovak lignite mining company, calling for an end to the era of coal. The activists are now facing unfounded criminal charges and are at risk of being imprisoned for up to 5 years. The decision by a Slovakian court on 2 December to keep Greenpeace activists in detention until a trial takes place is unacceptable.