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A resident of Obninsk Igor Sutyagin, born in 1965, was taken into custody on October 27, 1999 by the FSB of the Kaluga Region. Being accused of high treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code of RF), Igor might be sentenced from 12 to 20 years of imprisonment.
Six months of confinement were extended to another three months on the grounds the inquiry had not been completed. Therefore, we decided to attract public attention and to seek:
1. a change of restraint for Igor;
2. a completion of inquiry in the shortest possible time;
3. an open lawsuit.
About Igor Sutyagin - A former graduate of physical faculty in Moscow State University, he joined the Institute of the USA and Canada and obtained Ph.D. in History. Further promoted to the position of a senior researcher and assigned the Head of Section in the Department of military and political research, the author of several publications in Russian and foreign magazines.
1. The exchange of information with a US citizen Joshua Handler to assist in his work for Ph.D. on the problem of strategic nuclear weapons. Joshua Handler is a post-graduate in the University of Princeton. He was in Russia at the invitation of the Institute of the US and Canada in the frameworks of academic exchange. Mr. Handler is a reputable scientist. As an expert in arms control, he has well-established relations with the Russian academic circles. Despite FSB statements, he has never served in any federal institutions or US intelligence agencies. FSB reported on the military information found during the search of Mr. Handler's apartment. However, no claim has been made against him up till now. Mr. Handler has close contacts with the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), which has had basic orientation towards strengthening of the Soviet- and later Russian-American relations and scientific cooperation since the time of Gorbachev. . In the eighties, in particular, it was FAS that united the efforts of the American and Western scientists in the struggle against the "star wars" program (SDI initiative). It was FAS that advocated and advocates an active (first of all, nuclear) arms cut and elimination. The Federation fully supports the beginning of SNW-3 negotiations and preservation of the Anti-Missile Defense Treaty of 1972. The Federation has the world recognition and well-established ties with the Russian Academy of Sciences.
2. Review and transfer of information to the foreign analytical agency during business trips abroad. FSB says this is the classified information about the design of new generation submarines. Igor, however, has never had access to classified information and never been a bearer of the state secrets. How could he have transferred official secrets whomever? Besides, the subject of talks with the firm representatives has never been identified beforehand, and usually touched on a wide range of problems, which included policy and economics alongside with the military issues. No printed matter has ever been presented. Where are the reasonable grounds to be put to charge?
3. Opinion poll among Russian experts on the problem of civil and martial relations and role of the army in the Russian society. The poll was a part of the program funded by the Canadian Ministry of Defense. However, the other two official participants of the program were the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. State secrets have never been the aim of the poll, which is obvious judging by the results presented in open publications in the summer of 1999.
4. Publications on the problems of military security and arms control in Russia. These are some chapters from the book "Strategic Nuclear Arms in Russia" published in Moscow in 1998, which are probably meant first of all. But a copy of the manuscript had been submitted to the FSB agency several months before publication! Furthermore, only open sources of the former Soviet Union, Russia and foreign countries were used while working at this book and any other publications.
In view of the aforementioned the question arises "What is a high treason based on, if no military information was found on the search and subsequent arrest of Igor Sutyagin, who has never been a bearer of the state secrets and had no access to any classified information?"
The answer is evident. This criminal case is being framed with no grounds at all. FSB has either started a political campaign or wants to take revenge for the lost cases of Nikitin and Pasko.
This idea occurs not quite of a sudden. When Igor was arrested, the FSB officers told his wife not to inform anyone, including Igor's parents, about apprehension. However, they themselves reported the case in a TV news program some days later. Is there any other interpretation of the event if it is not the desire of FSB to be the first with their point of view?
Six months of confinement were extended to another three months. The parents, wife, friends and colleagues seeking for a change of constraint for Igor are regularly refused. It turns out he is dangerous for the Russian society. While in prison, the convict suffers from violation of the Law on Custody:
- the right for an eight-hour night sleep is not realized (28 people live in the room intended for 8 beds);
- the convicts are not given proper bedding, dishes and flatware;
- medical service is very poor: practically no necessary medicaments are available;
- tuberculosis and scabies are raging in prison;
- the right for correspondence is regularly injured (the addressee does not receive some part of the letters);
- a visiting right is injured ( no permission to see the convict for the last four months).
We are looking for assistance of the honest people, who are fighting for real justice and human rights in Russia.