18:58, 17 May 2004

Sentence in Trepashkin's case to be passed on May 19

The Moscow District Court Martial is to pronounce a sentence in the case of Mikhail Trepashkin on May 19. It became known today, after the defendant entered his final plea. He said he considered himself to be not guilty and the trial against him was ordered by nature. Meanwhile, director of the Foundation for Civil Liberties Aleksandr Goldfarb thinks the trial against Mr Trepashkin is punishment of the honest man. Mikhail Trepashkin is on trial because he honestly represented interests of the injured party in the case on the explosions of apartment houses in Moscow in September 1999: "He disclosed evidence that the Federal Security Service (FSB) and other Russian special services were likely involved in these explosions. That is why a criminal case has been concocted against him and he is on trial behind closed doors now."

Mr Goldfarb is convinced that "the most gloomy sides of the Soviet justice of the times of Brezhnev are coming back" to Russia.

Editors note: See also the article "Press conference "Mikhail Trepashkin Is a Political Prisoner in Putin's Russia" held in Moscow".

Source: Ekho Moskvy Radio