Nikitin still in custody
August 6 marked six months that Alexander Nikitin has been held in custody in the Russian security police (FSB) prison in St Petersburg. He was arrested on February 6 on charges of espionage for his work as a co-author of a report, launched by the Norwegian environmental foundation Bellona on August 15, on the nuclear hazards of the Russian Northern Fleet.
The FSB — the former KGB — has committed a series of judicial and human rights violations against the environmentalist. The FSB accuses Nikitin of having disclosed state secrets for payment. The charges are based upon a chapter of the report which reveals information on accidents on board nuclear-powered submarines. Nikitin is a pensioned captain of the Russian navy.
The indictment is based on alleged breaches of two decrees from the Russian Ministry of Defence. The decrees are so secret that Nikitin's lawyer, after half a year, has not been allowed to see them.