Arrest of the Russian environmentalist Alexander Nikitin in St Petersburg

Arrest of the Russian environmentalist Alexander Nikitin in St. Petersburg

Doc. 7609

28 June 1996

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

presented by Mr. BEHRENDT and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.         On 6 February 1996, the security service of the Russian Federation arrested Alexander Nikitin, a staff member of the Belona-Foundation, and subsequently accused him of espionage against the Russian state.

2.         In case of a conviction, the scientist Alexander Nikitin could be sentenced to death.

3.         It is to be feared that the judiciary there will not strictly keep to the principles of human rights and the rule of law to which Russia committed itself by its accession to the Council of Europe.

4.         The value of the scientific research into nuclear waste conducted by the Belona-Foundation is recognised publicly as well as by the European Commission.

5.         The TACIS Programme for 1996 concentrates mainly on the problem of nuclear contamination in north-western Russia, one of the most highly contaminated regions in the world, and such measures taken against environmental research render it more difficult to free Russia of the burden of contamination which the Soviet regime left behind.

6.         The Assembly considers that the Russian authorities should specify in detail all charges against Alexander Nikitin and examine the reasons for his arrest by the state security service and the Government of the Russian Federation should see to it that the proceedings against Alexander Nikitin will be conducted in strict compliance with the rule of law.

7.         The Assembly believes that the members of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe should raise this matter at the next possible opportunity in the Russian Parliament and urge a complete clarification of the case and immediately inform the Assembly of the Council of Europe of the results.

8.         The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to follow the principles of the rule of law

Signed[1]:

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Antretter, Germany, SOC

Barsony, Hungary, SOC

Benetatos, Greece, SOC

Cunliffe, United Kingdom, SOC

Elo, Finland, SOC

Fuhrmann, Austria, SOC

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Horn, Germany, SOC

Lucyga, Germany, SOC

Pattison, Ireland, SOC

Schicker, Austria, SOC

Terborg, Germany, SOC

J. Thompson, United Kingdom, SOC

Thoresen, Norway, SOC

Woltjer, Netherlands, SOC

[1]        SOC : Socialist Group

            EPP : Group of the European People's Party

            EDG : European Democratic Group

            LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

             UEL : Group of the Unified European Left