DATE=2/3/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245048
TITLE=RUSSIA/TREASON (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RETIRED RUSSIAN NAVY CAPTAIN ALEKSANDER NIKITIN WILL
APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY'S SUPREME COURT THURSDAY TO HAVE THE
TREASON CASE AGAINST HIM DISMISSED (EDS: APPEAL SKEDDED TO START
800 UTC -- 3 AM EDT). MR. NIKITIN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH EXPOSING
MILITARY SECRETS IN A REPORT ABOUT DECADES OF ACCIDENTS WHICH
OCCURRED ON SOVIET NUCLEAR SUBMARINES. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE
KASSMAN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW.
TEXT: LAST OCTOBER, A ST. PETERSBURG COURT DECIDED THE
PROSECUTION'S CASE AGAINST ALEKSANDER NIKITIN WAS TOO VAGUE AND
SENT IT BACK TO THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICES FOR FURTHER
INVESTIGATION.
THE PROSECUTION APPEALED TO THE RUSSIAN SUPREME COURT TO HAVE THE
CASE HEARD AGAIN IMMEDIATELY. MR NIKITIN'S LAWYERS APPEALED TO
GET THE CASE DISMISSED FOR LACK OF SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.
NOW, THE SUPREME COURT MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO EITHER UPHOLD THE
LOWER COURT'S VERDICT, LET THE CASE BE HEARD AGAIN, OR ACQUIT
ALEKSANDER NIKITIN.
MR. NIKITIN INSISTS HE IS INNOCENT.
///NIKITIN IN RUSSIAN -- ESTABLISH AND FADE ///
MR. NIKITIN SAYS HE DID NOT VIOLATE ANY SECRETS ACT IN HIS
ENVIRONMENT REPORT ON RUSSIA'S NORTHERN FLEET. "ALL THE CLAIMS
AGAINST ME," HE SAYS, "ARE BASELESS AND THAT HAS BEEN PROVED IN
COURT."
THE FORMER NAVY CAPTAIN IS CHARGED WITH BETRAYING STATE SECRETS
IN A 1996 REPORT HE CO-AUTHORED FOR THE NORWEGIAN ENVIRONMENTAL
GROUP "BELLONA." THE REPORT TALKS ABOUT NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL
PRACTICES OF RUSSIA'S NORTHERN FLEET. MR. NIKITIN ARGUES THAT
NONE OF THE MATERIAL HE PUBLISHED WAS CLASSIFIED AT THE TIME.
RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICES -- THE SUCCESSOR TO THE K-G-B
-- ARRESTED MR. NIKITIN THREE YEARS AGO AND DETAINED HIM FOR 10
MONTHS. SINCE HIS RELEASE, HE HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO LEAVE
HIS HOMETOWN OF ST. PETERSBURG WITHOUT SPECIAL PERMISSION.
BELLONA'S PRESIDENT, FREDERIC HAUGE (PRON: HOWG) SAYS THE CASE
HAS MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO TRACK NUCLEAR
HAZARDS IN NORTHWESTERN RUSSIA.
// HAUGE ACT ///
OF COURSE OUR WORK HAS BEEN DELAYED IN THESE PAST THREE
YEARS. YOU CAN SEE SOME SIGNALS NOW THAT PEOPLE IN THE
MURMANSK AREA IN THE NORTHWEST OF RUSSIA ARE SO AFRAID.
THEY CONTACT US AGAIN AND THEY TELL US VERY SCARY
STORIES. AND WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT ACCIDENTS HAPPENING IN
THIS AREA.
//END ACT ///
MR. HAUGE SAYS MANY EXPERTS FEAR THEY WILL BECOME THE NEXT
TARGET, IF THEY SPEAK OUT.
BELLONA HAS ACCUSED RUSSIA OF NEGLIGENCE IN HANDLING THE NUCLEAR
WASTE GENERATED BY THE NORTHERN FLEET OF SUBMARINES BASED IN
MURMANSK. ITS REPORTS ALSO HAVE DETAILED ACCIDENTS LIKE FIRES AND
RADIATION LEAKS ABOARD THE SUBMARINES.
//OPT THE REST /// THE NIKITIN CASE HAS DRAWN INTERNATIONAL
ATTENTION. U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELINE ALBRIGHT BROUGHT IT
UP DURING HER TALKS WITH RUSSIAN OFFICIALS LAST WEEK. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/PCF
03-Feb-99 12:55 PM EST (1755 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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