DATE=2/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245250
TITLE=RUSSIA TREASON (L UPDATE) CQ
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=VLADIVOSTOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A MILITARY COURT IN RUSSIA HAS AGAIN DELAYED THE TRIAL OF
A RUSSIAN NAVY CAPTAIN ACCUSED OF ESPIONAGE AND REVEALING STATE
SECRETS -- IN A CONTROVERSIAL CASE THAT IS BEING CLOSELY WATCHED
BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS AROUND THE WORLD. A MILITARY JUDGE SAID HE
WAS POSTPONING THE TRIAL FOR ONE WEEK SO THE NAVY OFFICER,
GRIGORY PASKO, CAN GET NEW LAWYERS. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT EVE
CONANT REPORTS FROM VLADIVOSTOK.
TEXT: CAPTAIN PASKO'S LAWYERS WERE HOPING THE JUDGE WOULD RULE
MONDAY ON TWO DEFENSE MOTIONS. ONE OF CAPTAIN PASKO'S LAWYERS
HAS BEEN BANNED FROM THE COURTROOM, AND THEY WANT HIM TO RETURN.
THEY ALSO ARE FORMALLY PROTESTING BECAUSE THEY SAY THE PRESIDING
JUDGE, DMITRY SAVUSHKIN, IS BIASED AND THEY WANT HIM TO
DISQUALIFY HIMSELF FROM THE CASE.
INSTEAD, JUDGE SAVUSHKIN POSTPONED THE TRIAL UNTIL FEBRUARY 16TH.
DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY THE JUDGE RULED THAT CAPTAIN PASKO CAN CHOOSE
NEW LAWYERS, AND THAT UNTIL THE LAWYER ISSUE IS RESOLVED, THE
JUDGE WILL NOT ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF HIS PERSONAL BIAS.
THE 36-YEAR-OLD NAVY CAPTAIN AND MILITARY JOURNALIST IS CHARGED
WITH HIGH TREASON AND ESPIONAGE FOR TELLING A JAPANESE TELEVISION
NETWORK ABOUT THE DUMPING OF RUSSIAN MILITARY RADIOACTIVE WASTE
AT SEA. IF CONVICTED, HE COULD BE SENTENCED TO UP TO 20 YEARS IN
PRISON.
CAPTAIN PASKO -- SHACKLED WITH HANDCUFFS -- WAS LED BY FIVE
POLICEMEN UP THE CRUMBLING AND POORLY-LIT STAIRS OF A VLADIVOSTOK
MILITARY COURT. HE HAS BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO THE MEDIA, BUT DID
SHOUT A SHORT COMMENT BEFORE THE POLICEMEN HUSTLED HIM INTO A
ROOM.
/// PASKO ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
CAPTAIN PASKO SHOUTED "IT'S A GULAG TRIAL. RECORD THAT AND TELL
EVERYONE." CAPTAIN PASKO WAS REFERRING TO THE REPRESSIVE ERA OF
SOVIET TRIALS WHICH SENT MILLIONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS TO
GULAGS -- WORK CAMPS FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS.
DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY CAPTAIN PASKO HAS REQUESTED FOUR NEW LAWYERS.
TWO OF THEM ARE HIGH PROFILE HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS PRESENTLY
DEFENDING A FORMER NAVY CAPTAIN, ALEXANDER NIKITIN, WHO IS ALSO
CHARGED WITH ESPIONAGE AND TREASON. MR. NIKITIN WAS ARRESTED
MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO AND HAS YET TO RECEIVE A VERDICT ON HIS
CASE.
CAPTAIN PASKO'S LAWYER, OLEG KOTLEROV, SAYS HE WOULD NOT BE
SURPRISED IF THE TRIAL LASTS AS LONG AS MR. NIKITIN'S.
/// KOTLEROV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
HE SAYS CAPTAIN PASKO SHOULD AT LEAST BE RELEASED FROM PRISON.
HE SHOULD NOT SIT IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IF THERE IS NO
PROOF HE COMMITTED A CRIME. THE NAVY CAPTAIN HAS ALREADY SPENT
14 MONTHS IN WHAT HIS ATTORNEY'S CALL A TUBERCULOSIS-INFESTED
PRISON.
MR. KOTLEROV ALSO SAYS THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICES -- A
SUCCESSOR TO THE OLD K-G-B -- IS VIOLATING RUSSIAN LAW.
/// KOTLEROV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
HE SAYS THEIR METHODS ARE THE SAME AS THOSE OF THE OLD K-G-B, BUT
NOW THEY ARE ILLEGAL. HE SAYS AGENTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO
INTERROGATE A SLEEP-DEPRIVED PERSON FOR TEN HOURS AT A TIME.
MONDAY'S RULING MEANS THAT CAPTAIN PASKO WILL SPEND AT LEAST
ANOTHER WEEK IN PRISON. THE PRISONER RIGHTS WATCHDOG
ORGANIZATION AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS DECLARED CAPTAIN PASKO A
"PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE." SOON IT WILL BE 15 MONTHS SINCE HIS
ARREST, AND DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY THEY FEAR A FINAL VERDICT COULD
TAKE MONTHS, AT BEST. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/JWH
08-Feb-99 11:53 AM EST (1653 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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