DATE=3/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227763
TITLE=RUSSIA/SPY CASE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS ARE RAISING CONCERN ABOUT THE CASE  
OF A RUSSIAN NAVY OFFICER AND JOURNALIST IN PRISON IN VLADIVOSTOK
ON CHARGES OF TREASON.  AS V-O-A'S MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS THE 
DEFENSE LAWYER FOR THE ACCUSED MAN SAYS RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY
SERVICE -- THE FORMER K-G-B -- IS ACTING IMPROPERLY.

TEXT:  GRIGORY PASKO HAS BEEN SITTING IN PRISON IN VLADIVOSTOK 
FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS AS INVESTIGATORS FROM THE FEDERAL 
SECURITY SERVICE, OR F-S-B, BUILD THEIR CASE AGAINST HIM.  THE 
F-S-B ACCUSES HIM OF GIVING SECRET INFORMATION TO A FOREIGN 
ORGANIZATION AND ACCEPTING MONEY FOR IT.  MR. PASKO'S LAWYER, 
YAROSLAV GERIN, ARGUES DOCUMENTS CONFISCATED FROM THE REPORTER'S 
HOUSE DO  NOT  SUPPORT THE CASE.

        ///  GERIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, ESTABLISH AND FADE ///

MR. GERIN TOLD A MOSCOW NEWS CONFERENCE "MR. PASKO DID  NOT HAVE 
ONE BIT OF SECRET MATERIAL EITHER IN HIS HOME OR WITH HIM."  THE 
DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS MR. PASKO, THE EDITOR OF THE PACIFIC FLEET 
NEWSPAPER, WAS WORKING ON SOME REPORTS ON AGRICULTURE AND 
SHIPBUILDING FOR A JAPANESE MAGAZINE WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED IN 
NOVEMBER.

HOWEVER, MR. GERIN BELIEVES HIS CLIENT WAS ACTUALLY TARGETED FOR 
HIS PAST REPORTS ON NUCLEAR DUMPING BY THE PACIFIC FLEET AND HIS 
EFFORTS TO PUBLISH A NEW STORY ABOUT LAX STANDARDS FOR NUCLEAR 
WASTE STORAGE.  MR. GERIN HAS ASKED THE CHIEF MILITARY PROSECUTOR
IN RUSSIA TO LOOK INTO THE F-S-B CASE AGAINST MR. PASKO. 

HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SAY MR. PASKO'S CASE HAS SOME SIMILARITIES
TO THAT OF ALEXANDER NIKITIN, WHO HAS BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION 
FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN CONNECTION WITH HIS REPORT ON NUCLEAR 
DUMPING BY RUSSIA'S NORTHERN FLEET.  MR. NIKITIN, A FORMER NAVY 
CAPTAIN, IS AWAITING TRIAL IN SAINT PETERSBURG.

ALEXEI SIMONOV OF THE DEFENSE OF GLASNOST FUND SAYS IT SEEMS TO 
BE MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO WRITE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN
RUSSIA.

 ////  SIMONOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, ESTABLISH AND FADE ///

MR. SIMONOV SAYS "NOW, AS THE SITUATION STANDS, YOU CAN KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE BAD AIR OR BAD WATER, BUT YOU CAN  NOT  KNOW WHO 
POLLUTES."

RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE HAS REPEATEDLY STOOD BY THEIR 
INVESTIGATORS IN BOTH CASES.  (SIGNED)

NEB/MLK/DW/KL 

07-Mar-98 9:55 AM EST (1455 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.