DATE=8/1/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA/NIKITIN (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265016
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian environmental activist Alexander
Nikitin has accused judicial prosecutors of
harassment, for trying to reopen a treason case
against him after a judge dismissed a similar charge.
Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports Mr. Nikitin, a
former navy captain, spoke with reporters (Tuesday)
one day before a judge is due to consider an appeal by
Russia's prosecutor general to re-examine the case.
TEXT: Alexander Nikitin first learned of the court
action during a recent visit to Washington, to
highlight environmental problems and human rights
abuses in Russia. One day before the appeal hearing,
he told reporters he would remain in Russia to finish
his legal fight, which has already dragged on for four
years.
/// NIKITIN ACT IN RUSSIAN - IN FULL, FADE
UNDER ///
He says, "I just want to say that I am not going to
run away and hide. I will stay here and will continue
to work in Russia."
In 1996, the former Russian navy captain was accused
of leaking state secrets when he wrote about the
environmental dangers of Russian nuclear submarines in
the Arctic Sea (for the Norwegian environmental
organization Bellona). Mr. Nikitin says agents of
Russia's Federal Security Service, the F-S-B, were
simply continuing their quest to harass environmental
organizations in Russia.
/// NIKITIN ACT IN RUSSIAN - IN FULL, FADE
UNDER ///
"The F-S-B believes that Western intelligence services
are working under the umbrella of these ecological
organizations," he says. "That is the simple reason
why there are such persecutions of people and
independent organizations."
In April, Alexander Nikitin was acquitted of espionage
charges, after years of investigation, as well as
imprisonment and time spent in solitary confinement.
But in a move that surprised those who thought the
case was over, Russia's prosecutor general appealed to
Russia's Supreme Court to reopen the case. Lawyers
for Mr. Nikitin say the reason given for the appeal
was the prosecutor general's demand that there was an
"obvious need" for additional investigation into what
were described as "shortcomings, flaws and violations"
of Mr. Nikitin's rights during the investigative
process.
The human rights watchdog organization, Amnesty
International, condemned the move on Tuesday, arguing
that reopening the case would be a further attempt to
stifle freedom of expression in Russia. Mr. Nikitin
also says there are no grounds to reopen the case.
/// NIKITIN ACT IN RUSSIAN - IN FULL, FADE
UNDER ///
He says, "No one should doubt that if I had actually
committed a crime, they would have used the most
strict measures to punish me."
/// OPT /// Jon Gauslaa, a lawyer for Norway's
Bellona Foundation, for whom Mr. Nikitin first
published his environmental report, told reporters any
re-examination of the case would simply mean dragging
out the investigation in order to harass Mr. Nikitin
indefinitely.
/// GAUSLA ACT ///
The Prosecutor General ignores totally that
these violations were repaired by the acquittal,
and his prescription for correcting this
violation is to strongly fortify the violations
of Nikitin's rights. Tomorrow, the case, the
process against Mr. Nikitin, will have lasted
one-thousand-764 days.
/// END ACT /// /// END OPT ///
While in Washington earlier this month, Mr. Nikitin
said he believed the prosecutor's action was timed for
maximum political effect, because the appeal meant he
had to cut short his speaking tour in the West.
(Signed)
NEB/EC/WTW/JP
01-Aug-2000 11:01 AM LOC (01-Aug-2000 1501 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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