DATE=7/20/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251961
TITLE=RUSSIA/TREASON TRIAL (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A RUSSIAN NAVY CAPTAIN AND JOURNALIST WHO WAS BEING TRIED
IN RUSSIA'S FAR EAST FOR HIGH TREASON WAS CONVICTED OF IMPROPER
MILITARY CONDUCT, BUT THEN RELEASED UNDER A NEW AMNESTY BILL.
CAPTAIN GRIGORY PASKO WAS ARRESTED AFTER PROVIDING INFORMATION
ABOUT RUSSIA'S PACIFIC FLEET TO A JAPANESE TELEVISION NETWORK.
CORRESPONDENT EVE CONANT IN MOSCOW SPOKE BY TELEPHONE WITH
GRIGORY PASKO IN VLADIVOSTOK AN HOUR AFTER HE WAS RELEASED FROM
JAIL.
TEXT: AT HOME WITH HIS WIFE AND LAWYERS, A RELIEVED CAPTAIN
PASKO EXPLAINED IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW HOW THE COURT'S RULING
CAME AS A SURPRISE.
///ACT PASKO IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
HE SAYS "I DID NOT EXPECT THIS RESULT BECAUSE I KNOW ALL TO WELL
WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS IN RUSSIA."
CAPTAIN PASKO HAD ALREADY SPENT 20 MONTHS IN JAIL AND SIX MONTHS
IN THE CLOSED TRIAL PROCEEDINGS OF RUSSIA'S PACIFIC FLEET
MILITARY COURT. HE WAS DETAINED UNDER ALLEGATIONS THAT HE
PROVIDED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO A JAPANESE TELEVISION NETWORK.
///OPT/// BUT CAPTAIN PASKO CONSISTENTLY ARGUED THAT HE WAS BEING
PUNISHED FOR HIS STARTLING REPORTS ON THE NUCLEAR DUMPING
PRACTICES OF THE PACIFIC FLEET. THE NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING HUMAN
RIGHTS GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL LABELED PASKO A "PRISONER OF
CONSCIENCE" AND FREE SPEECH ADVOCATES ALSO ADOPTED HIS CAUSE.
///END OPT///
BUT ON TUESDAY, THE MILITARY COURT RULED CAPTAIN PASKO NOT
GUILTY OF TREASON OR ESPIONAGE AND EVEN RULED THAT SOME OF THE
EVIDENCE BROUGHT AGAINST HIM BY RUSSIA'S SECURITY SERVICES WAS,
IN FACT, FALSIFIED. THE COURT DID RULE THAT HE VIOLATED STATE
INTERESTS AND ABUSED HIS MILITARY POST FOR PERSONAL GAIN. HE WAS
SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON.
BUT A NEW AMNESTY BILL, SIGNED INTO LAW BY RUSSIAN PRESIDENT
BORIS YELTSIN LAST MONTH, ALLOWED FOR CAPTAIN PASKO TO BE SET
FREE IMMEDIATELY. THAT'S BECAUSE HE COUNTS AS A FIRST TIME
OFFENDER AND HAS ALREADY SERVED ONE-THIRD OF HIS SENTENCE IN
JAIL, PRIOR TO HIS CONVICTION.
CAPTAIN PASKO, WHO BROKE COURT RULES BY SHOUTING OUT COMMENTS TO
JOURNALISTS AND SECRETLY RELEASING A JAILHOUSE DIARY ON THE
INTERNET, SAYS HIS FREEDOM DOES NOT SYMBOLIZE MUCH PROGRESS IN
THE COURT SYSTEM.
///SECOND ACT PASKO IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
"THIS IS A TEMPORARY VICTORY," HE EXPLAINS. "THIS DOESN'T MEAN
THAT TOMORROW THEY WON'T START ATTACKING ANOTHER JOURNALIST."
///END OPT///
HE SAYS RUSSIA'S SECURITY SERVICES HAVE SIMPLY PROVEN ONCE AGAIN
THAT THEY CAN CONVICT WITHOUT EVIDENCE.
///THIRD ACT PASKO IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
HE SAYS, "IF THEY HAD ACQUITTED ME, THAT WOULD HAVE SET A GOOD
PRECEDENT. THAT," HE SAYS "WOULD HAVE BEEN A VICTORY."
CAPTAIN PASKO SAYS HE IS NOT SURE WHAT HIS PLANS ARE NOW
--WHETHER HE WILL APPEAL FOR A NON-GUILTY RULING, AND WHETHER OR
NOT HE WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT FOR THE FLEET'S MILITARY
NEWSPAPER. BUT ONE THING IS CERTAIN, HE SAYS.
///FOURTH ACT PASKO IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
"I WILL STAY IN THE SERVICE, I'M A MILITARY MAN. THEY HAVEN'T
TAKEN AWAY MY RANK OR. MY AWARDS," HE SAYS. "FIRST, I WILL GO
BACK TO BEING WHO I WAS AND FROM THERE I WILL SEE."
CAPTAIN PASKO AND HIS LAWYERS HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO APPEAL THE
GUILTY VERDICT IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/PCF
20-Jul-99 11:22 AM EDT (1522 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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