News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
AI-index: EUR 46/068/2002 05/12/2002
FREE GRIGORY PASKO NOW!
Russian Federation: Amnesty International demands the immediate acquittal and release of journalist and environmental
activist Grigory Pasko
Amnesty International appeals for the immediate acquittal and release of the Russian journalist and environmentalist
Grigory Pasko who is serving a four year sentence on treason charges in a prison colony in the Russian Far East.
"Grigory Pasko's conviction and continuing arrest solely for exercising his basic human right of freedom of expression
is yet another example of the denial of justice that is the fate of other victims of human rights violations in the
Russian Federation," Amnesty International said.
Grigory Pasko, a reporter for a Russian Pacific Fleet newspaper, was first arrested in 1997 for passing allegedly
sensitive information to Japanese media. International and Russian human rights organizations vigorously protested
against the arrest and in 1999 he was acquitted of all spying charges. A court in the Russian Far East sentenced Grigory
Pasko on a lesser charge and released him immediately under an amnesty. But after an appeal, a Military Court in the
city of Vladivostok gave Grigory Pasko a four years sentence for treason end espionage in December 2001.
Amnesty International adopted Grigory Pasko as a prisoner of conscience from the start as it considers him to be
imprisoned solely for the expression of his non-violent beliefs. The International Human Rights Day on 10 December is a
focal point for all its members in 140 countries around the world to take action for Grigory Pasko's immediate and
unconditional release.
"International pressure was crucial in the first trial against Grigory Pasko. Renewed efforts of human rights
organizations may result now in his release. I am sure that the European Court of Human Rights will take up his case and
its decision will be damning for the Russian justice system," said Russian human rights activist Aleksei Simonov.
"The information released by Grigory Pasko did not constitute a threat to Russian national security and he should not
have been imprisoned in the first place. As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to
other international human rights treaties the Russian Federation should fulfil its obligations and protect human rights
as they are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By releasing Grigory Pasko without delay the Russian
government will show a clear commitment to promote and protect fundamental human rights for everybody," the organization
said.
Background The case - in 1993 Grigory Pasko filmed a Russian navy tanker dumping radioactive waste and ammunition in the
Sea of Japan. In this film and in a series of articles he showed the threat to the environment caused by ships of
Russia's decaying Pacific Fleet, including nuclear submarines. He also reported on corruption inside the fleet and he
passed on public information on these issues to Japanese journalists.
Amnesty International believes that his prosecution appeared to be motivated by political reprisal for exposing
corruption in the Russian Pacific Fleet and the practice of dumping nuclear waste into the sea. The organization
believes that the case is a clear breach of national and international norms protecting freedom of expression that the
Russian state is obliged to protect.
Grigory Pasko's defence team is appealing to the Presidium of the Russian Supreme Court to overturn the verdict and
order his immediate release. For further information contact the Russia Campaign Press Officer Lydia Aroyo on +44 20
7413 5599 or +44 7798 555 629, e-mail: laroyo@amnesty.org; or the Russia Campaign Researcher Kim Wiesener on +44 20 7413
5618.
Visit the Amnesty International Russia Campaign website: www.amnesty.org/russia
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