DATE=  9/30/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-220598

TITLE=RUSSIA / SPY (L-ONLY)  

BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  A RUSSIAN MAN ACCUSED OF SPYING FOR BRITAIN HAS SUFFERED 

ANOTHER LEGAL SETBACK.  V-O-A'S MICHELE KELEMEN IN MOSCOW REPORTS

THE RUSSIAN SUPREME COURT RULED THE MAN IS MENTALLY ILL AND 

SHOULD UNDERGO MEDICAL TREATMENT BEFORE STANDING TRIAL.



TEXT:  THE LAWYER FOR  PLATON OBUKHOV WAS HOPING THE SUPREME 

COURT WOULD THROW OUT THE CASE AND SEND THE FORMER JUNIOR 

DIPLOMAT TO A HOSPITAL.  HE ARGUED MR. OBUKHOV IS UNFIT TO STAND 

TRIAL.



BUT THE SUPREME COURT WENT ALONG WITH AN EARLIER MOSCOW CITY 

COURT RULING, SAYING MR. OBUKHOV IS ILL AND NEEDS TREATMENT, BUT 

HE SHOULD, EVENTUALLY, HAVE HIS DAY IN COURT.          



THE MOSCOW CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE CASE.  

ITS DIRECTOR, ALEXEI SMIRNOV, SAYS THE ACCUSED SPY IS IN AN 

IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.



          ///  SMIRNOV ACT - RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///



IT IS A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, HE SAYS.  PLUS 

THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL INTRIGUES.  IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS, 

MR. SMIRNOV ADDS, THERE IS A SICK MAN.



THE QUESTION IS -- WAS PLATON OBUKHOV SANE AT THE TIME OF THE 

ALLEGED CRIME?  THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE SAYS HE WAS AND 

THEREFORE HE SHOULD STAND TRIAL.  HIS FAMILY SAYS HE HAS BEEN ILL

SINCE CHILDHOOD.



IT IS ALSO  NOT CLEAR HOW MUCH SECRET INFORMATION HE HAD ACCESS 

TO.  HIS FATHER, A FORMER SOVIET DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, SAID 

PLATON OBUKHOV HAD  NO  ACCESS AT ALL.  THE 28-YEAR-OLD WORKED AS

A SECOND SECRETARY IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY'S NORTH AMERICAN 

DEPARTMENT BEFORE HE WAS ARRESTED LAST YEAR.



HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST ALEXEI SMIRNOV CHARGES THE F-S-B IS ACTING 

MUCH LIKE ITS PREDECESSOR, THE K-G-B -- PUSHING AHEAD WITH WHAT 

HE CALLS A SHOW TRIAL.  HE SAYS IT MAY  NEVER BE KNOWN WHETHER 

PLATON OBUKHOV PASSED SECRETS TO BRITAIN.  HE SAYS THE ONLY THING

THE CASE MAY DETERMINE IS WHETHER MR. OBUKHOV HAS EVER BEEN SANE 

(SIGNED)



NEB/MLK/JWH/RRM



30-Sep-97 10:51 AM EDT (1451 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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