Contents Russian

Appeal of Committee in Defence of Grigory Pasko to the high Commitionaere of UN for Human Rights Mrs. Robinson

15 june 1999

Dear Mrs. Robinson,

we should like to keep you in course of the trial of Russian journalist Pasko. Now the trial enter in the final stage and in about two months it will be over.

The witnesses of prosecution did not prove none of incriminated deeds. Moreover, some of them experienced illegal pressing of secret service in course of prosecution that was cleared up in front of the court.

The exhaustive evidence that Pasko was giving during 5 days is now placed in Internet: www.polit.ru/index-dossier (only in Russian yet).

Though the evidence shows clearly that the charge is trumped up and none of its point is proved, we have all the reasons to be anxious because the court experiences the pressing of secret service that initiated this shameful trial.

Another reason for anxiety is the verdict (absolutely reasonable and legal) of Constitutional Court which forbids to the Russian courts to order the complementary investigation. Paradoxically in the case of Pasko it can play a unfavourable role. The matter is that the compementary investigation (when the prosecutors cannot to prove the charge) relieved judges of responsibility and of pressing. Now if they prounounce the verdict of "not guilty" they are in a very difficult situation because of the mentioned pressing and because such a verdict was never pronounced in the trials of high treson in our country. If they pronounce "guilty"they demonstrate their preconception.

We hope that the international support enables the judges to pronounce the just sentence.