AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

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FACTS OF THE CASE:

The trial of Russian researcher Dr. Igor Sutyagin has been indefinitely postponed. Dr. Sutyagin has spent the last five years in jail as his espionage trial wound through the regional and Moscow courts. His first trial was held in 2001 at a regional court and resulted in a ruling that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence. However, a provision of the Russian legal code allowed for the case to return to the Federal Security Service (known by its Russian acronym FSB) for further investigation. In the intervening years, the FSB has consistently failed to present evidence to link Dr. Sutyagin's research to treason.

Dr. Sutyagin conducted freelance analysis of civilian-military relations in Russia for a London-based research firm that the Russian government contends is a front for Western intelligence. He used non-classified research such as newspaper articles. As a civilian researcher with no security clearance, he did not have access to any classified materials. Russian authorities contend that the accuracy of the research indicates that Dr. Sutyagin must have used classified documents to draw his conclusions. Dr. Sutyagin's case is part of a series of trials against scientists in Russia who are accused of espionage when they turn to commercial ventures abroad and sell their unclassified research.

The most recent delays in Dr. Sutyagin's case occurred at the end of 2003. Preliminary hearings began in September, but the prosecution asked for several postponements over the fall. The most recent postponement was for a defense order that Dr. Sutyagin undergo a medical check up after alleged contact with sick cellmates. Observers of the trial believe that the medical tests may be an attempt by the prosecution to further stall the trial.

Dr. Sutyagin's defense team is most concerned that the court did not set the date for the next hearing. Prospects for the resumption of the trial are uncertain. The defense is petitioning the Moscow City Court to set a date for the continuation of the trial.

On 29 December, a jury acquitted physicist Dr. Valentin Danilov, the director of a research institution in Krasnoyarsk. He also faced charges of espionage for selling information about Russia's space technology to China. Eight of the twelve jurors agreed with the defense's argument that none of the technology contained classified information. Other recent espionage cases have ended less favorably and it is unclear if Dr. Sutyagin's case will result as positively as Dr. Danilov's.

There is great concern that Dr. Igor Sutyagin is being prosecuted for the peaceful exercise of his freedom of expression and academic freedom, in violation of several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted without opposition by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Russian Federation is a state party).

(Sources of information for this case include: http://www.case52.org, a website about Igor Sutyagin's case, the New York Times, Human Rights Watch, and the Moscow Helsinki Group.)

RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• Article 19(1): Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

• Expressing concern at the continued lack of evidence to support the charges of treason and espionage against Dr. Igor Sutyagin and the apparent prosecution of Dr. Sutyagin for conducting legitimate academic research;
• Reminding the court that prosecuting an individual solely for the peaceful exercise of his or her right to freedom of expression is in direct violation of several human rights standards that the Russian Federation is obligated under international law to uphold, and that freedom of expression is central to the scientific mission;
• Requesting that Dr. Sutyagin be released from pretrial detention; and
• Expressing your hope that the Russian courts will continue to support the rule of law and international human rights standards, dismiss the case for lack of evidence, and immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Sutyagin.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
President of Russia
The Kremlin
Moscow
Russia
Fax: (011) 7 095 206 5173 or 7 095 206 6277
president@gov.ru
Salutation: Your Excellency:

Yuri V. Ushakov
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States
Embassy of the Russian Federation to the United States
2650 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Fax: (202) 298-5737
Salutation: Dear Mr. Ambassador

COPIES SENT TO:

Andrei Blinushov
Human Rights Network
390000, Ryazan-Center
P.O.Box 20
Russia
Fax: 011 7 (095) 206-0582
Salutation: Dear Mr. Blinushov

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you may have to Victoria Baxter, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6797; email vbaxter@aaas.org; or fax 202-289-4950.

The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful, accurate and precise, impartial in approach, and as specific as possible regarding the alleged violation and the international human rights standards and instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific organization and professional affiliation is always helpful.

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 90 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

To verify the contents of this alert and/or the electronic signature, please download the signed file for this alert along with the Program's PGP Public Key.

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