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From: Union of Councils <ucsj@ucsj.com>
Subject: INFO-RUSS: Action alert:  A. Nikitin

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Sen. Bingaman and Rep. Skaggs Appeal to Colleagues to Urge Review of
Nikitin Case

UCSJ encourages human rights supporters to call their Senators and
Representatives and act on Nikitin's behalf

Below is a "Dear Colleague" letter from Congressman David Skaggs (D-CO) on
the case of Alexander Nikitin. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is circulating
a similar letter in the Senate.

Please call your Senators and Representatives and ask them to sign these
crucial letters.  Maximum pressure and publicity is needed to help convince
the Russian authorities to drop this case.  It is essential that Nikitin's
rights are protected and that the Russian security apparatus not be
permitted to win this power struggle.

(For more on the Nikitin case, please email Jason Silberberg at
jsilb@ucsj.com.)

Union of Councils ucsj@ucsj.com


November 4, 1997

RUSSIAN ENVIRONMENTALIST CHARGED WITH TREASON
FOR WARNING OF NUCLEAR WASTE DISASTER

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to bring to your attention new developments in the case of
Alexander Nikitin, a case that has broad repercussions for the future of
democracy, free speech, and due process in Russia.  I ask you to join me in
sending the attached letter to Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

Alexander Nikitin, a Russian environmentalist who co-authored a report that
revealed a nuclear waste disaster in the making, has been charged with
treason by the Russian Federal Security Service (the former KGB), which
completed its investigation on September 19.  The Russian Procurator, Yuri
Skuratov, who was appointed by President Boris Yeltsin, will now have to
decide whether to move to trial in this case.

Nikitin co-authored a report published by the Norwegian environmental
group, Bellona, that revealed that unprotected nuclear waste is stored at
bases and shipyards near Murmansk, and that retired nuclear-powered
submarines docked in the Arctic Circle still contain highly radioactive
spent fuel.  Despite the fact that all the information used for the report
was taken from open sources, Nikitin was charged with having released state
secrets.

Nikitin had been charged with violating secret Defense Ministry decrees --
even though the Russian constitution prohibits such charges.  He has now
been charged with violating a Defense Ministry decree that was issued seven
months after Nikitin was arrested -- even though the Russian constitution
prohibits ex post facto prosecution.  Federal Security Services
investigators have changed their determination five times regarding the
choice of decrees on which to base their investigation.

This case is critical, not only for Russian environmental policy, but for
the future of Russian democracy.  It is disturbing if Russia is unable to
face up to these enormous environmental problems without prosecuting the
citizen that exposed them.  It raises questions about whether free speech
and the publication of reports critical of the government will be
permitted.  The grave issues of due process in the Nikitin case cause doubt
about whether Russia has truly put Soviet-style justice behind it.

Please join me in sending the attached letter to Russian President Boris
Yeltsin, asking him to seek a thorough review before any decision is made
to take this case to trial.  If you would like to cosign the letter, or if
you have further questions, please call Sue Hardesty of my staff at 52161.

Sincerely yours,
						    
David E. Skaggs



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His Excellency Boris Yeltsin
President of Russia
Moscow, Russian Federation

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to bring to your attention the case of Alexander Nikitin. We
understand that the Federal Security Service has completed its
investigation, and the Procurator General must now decide whether to take
the case to trial.

We applaud the enormous strides Russia has taken since the end of the
Soviet era to establish a rule of law, and end the old Soviet-style
approach to criminal prosecution.  That is why we are very concerned that
this case, if pursued, would mark a serious setback for the rule of law in
Russia.

Alexander Nikitin co-authored a report published by Bellona, a Norwegian
environmental organization.  The report revealed that unprotected nuclear
waste is stored at bases and shipyards near Murmansk, and that retired
nuclear-powered submarines docked in the Arctic Circle still contain highly
radioactive spent fuel.  Despite the fact that all the information used for
the report was taken from open sources, Nikitin was charged with having
released state secrets.

Nikitin had been charged with espionage for violating secret Defense
Ministry decrees -- even though the Russian constitution prohibits such
charges.  He has now been charged with violating a Defense Ministry decree
that was issued seven months after he was arrested -- even though the
Russian constitution prohibits ex post facto prosecution.  Federal Security
Services investigators have changed their determination five times
regarding their choice of decrees on which to base their investigation.

It appears that the rule of law as embodied in the Russian constitution has
not been followed in this case.  We urge you to ask your government's
Procurator General to order a thorough review.  We believe that such an
unbiased review of the case would lead to a dismissal of the charges
against Alexander Nikitin, and ask that you take steps to see that such a
review is conducted.

We see this case as extremely significant.  Thank you for your
consideration of our views.