DATE=2/9/99 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-42554 TITLE=RUSSIA / TREASON BYLINE=EVE CONANT DATELINE=VLADIVOSTOK CONTENT= VOICED AT: ///// ED'S: PASKO TRIAL RESUMES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH. ///// INTRO: THE TREASON TRIAL OF A NAVY OFFICER IN RUSSIA'S FAR EAST IS RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN RUSSIA. THE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP "AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL" HAS DESIGNATED NAVY CAPTAIN GRIGORY PASKO A PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE. OTHERS SAY HE ALSO MAY BE A PRISONER OF RUSSIA'S INCOMPLETE EFFORTS TO OVERCOME A LEGACY OF OFFICIAL SECRECY, LATE NIGHT SEARCHES, AND CENSORSHIP. V-O-A'S EVE CONANT IS IN VLADIVOSTOK. TEXT: CAPTAIN GRIGORY PASKO IS CHARGED WITH HIGH TREASON AND ESPIONAGE. HE WROTE FOR A NAVY NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE DUMPING OF MILITARY NUCLEAR WASTE AT SEA. HE ALSO SOLD SOME OF HIS MATERIAL TO THE JAPANESE TELEVISION NETWORK, N-H-K. RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE, THE F-S-B -- A SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE K-G-B -- ARRESTED CAPTAIN PASKO IN 1997, POSSIBLY DUE TO A REPORT ON JAPANESE TELEVISION ABOUT THE MILITARY'S DUMPING PRACTICES. THE SPECIFIC CHARGES IN THE 10-POINT INDICTMENT AGAINST HIM ARE CLASSIFIED. HE MAINTAINS HE OBTAINED INFORMATION THROUGH LEGAL CHANNELS. THE NIGHT OF HIS ARREST, AGENTS SEARCHED HIS HOUSE, CONFISCATING HIS COMPUTER, FAX MACHINE, AND FAMILY CAR. THE 36-YEAR-OLD NAVAL OFFICER HAS BEEN IN PRISON FOR 14-MONTHS, BUT HAS YET TO BE CONVICTED OF ANY CRIME. DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY CAPTAIN PASKO IS BEING KEPT IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. HE LEAVES THE CELL ONLY UNDER GUARD FOR BRIEF APPEARANCES IN THE CLOSED MILITARY COURT THAT IS DECIDING HIS CASE. DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY PROSECUTORS ARE VIOLATING THE RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION AND HUMAN-RIGHTS NORMS. ONE OF CAPTAIN PASKO'S LAWYERS HAS BEEN OUSTED FROM THE COURTROOM, THE JOURNALIST AND OFFICER IS DENIED ACCESS TO THE MEDIA, AND, INSTEAD OF THE USUAL JURY, THE CASE IS BEING DECIDED BY ONE MILITARY JUDGE AND TWO MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES. CAPTAIN PASKO'S WIFE, GALINA MOROZOVA SAYS THE PROCEEDINGS HAVE SHATTERED ANY IDEAS SHE HAD THAT RUSSIA HAS REFORMED. /// MOROZOVA ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER /// SHE SAYS UNTIL HER HUSBAND'S ARREST, SHE HAD LIVED IN THE BELIEF OF DEMOCRACY, OF OPENNESS. BUT SHE SAYS GOVERNMENT AGENTS THEN CAME AND VIOLATED HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. SHE SAYS SHE REMEMBERS DISCUSSIONS WITH HER HUSBAND JUST AS HE STARTED TO INVESTIGATE NUCLEAR DUMPING. /// MOROZOVA ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER /// SHE SAYS HE TOLD HER AS SOON AS HE BEGAN THE INVESTIGATION HE FELT THE SECURITY SERVICES' PRESENCE. SHE SAYS THEY ARE NOT EVEN PROFESSIONAL, YOU KNOW WHEN THEY ARE BREATHING DOWN YOUR NECK. THE MILITARY JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS IN THE CASE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA AS THE CASE REPORTEDLY INVOLVES TOP-SECRET INFORMATION. A LOCAL NEWSPAPER, CALLED "VLADIVOSTOK" PRINTED AN INTERVIEW WITH FEDERAL SECURITY CHIEF OF THE PACIFIC FLEET NIKOLAI SATSKOV. THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS THE F-S-B OFFICIAL SAID CAPTAIN PASKO IS NOT BEING CHARGED AS A JOURNALIST, HE IS BEING CHARGED AS A NAVY OFFICER. THE NEWSPAPER ALSO QUOTED HIM AS SAYING CAPTAIN PASKO'S ECOLOGICAL REPORTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE MATTER IS MORE SERIOUS -- HE SAYS CAPTAIN PASKO HANDED OVER TOP SECRET INFORMATION VITAL TO THE SECURITY OF THE PACIFIC FLEET. THE MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRIAL ARE CAPTAIN PASKO'S LAWYERS. ONE OF THEM -- KHAREN NIRSISYAN -- WAS EXPELLED FROM COURT AFTER ASKING A WITNESS IF HE WAS EMPLOYED BY THE SECURITY SERVICES. MR. NIRSISYAN SAYS HE SEES NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRIALS UNDER THE SOVIET SYSTEM AND NOW. /// NIRSISYAN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER /// HE SAYS TRIALS IN RUSSIA ARE NOT ABOUT DISCOVERING THE TRUTH. HE SAYS THEY ARE A MECHANISM OF REPRESSION. CAPTAIN PASKO'S CASE ALSO MAY BE A TEST OF RUSSIA'S WILLINGNESS TO CONFRONT ECOLOGICAL ABUSES. HIS CASE IS NOT UNIQUE. HE HAS REQUESTED THE HELP OF TWO LAWYERS WHO ARE DEFENDING ALEXANDER NIKITIN, A FORMER NAVAL OFFICER ALSO CHARGED WITH HIGH TREASON AND ESPIONAGE FOR REVEALING ALLEGED ENVIRONMENTAL ABUSES IN RUSSIA'S FAR NORTH. MR. NIKITIN'S TRIAL HAS BEEN IN PROGRESS MORE THAN THREE-YEARS AND NO VERDICT HAS BEEN REACHED. CAPTAIN PASKO WAS ABLE TO SHOUT ONE COMMENT AS POLICEMEN HUSTLED HIM INTO A LOCKED CHAMBER BESIDE THE COURTROOM. HE COMPARED HIS ORDEAL TO SOVIET TRIALS WHICH SENT MILLIONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS TO LANGUISH IN WORK CAMPS. HE SAID -- THIS IS A GULAG TRIAL, RECORD THAT AND TELL EVERYONE. (SIGNED) NEB/EC/JWH/RAE 09-Feb-99 8:35 AM EST (1335 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .