Contents Russian

Dear Mr. President!

Dear Mr. Prime-Minister!

On the threshold of your meeting where the problems of relations between two our countries will be considered we ask you to give the commission to clear up situation around the matter casting aspersions on Russian-Japanese relations.

The point is accusation of Russian military journalist Grigory Pasko with espionage whose espionage partners, according to the FSB of the RF, were representatives of several Japanese media.

Pasko's work was connected with covering problems of environmental security of the Pacific region. As a journalist Pasko actively contributed to the Japanese newspaper Asahi Simbun and TV and radio NHK corporation. This activities of Pasko and his colleagues promoted the development of large-scale intergovernmental assistance programs by Japan in the settlement of the problem of nuclear waste utilization in Primorye but the very journalist's business contacts the Russian FSB classified as a espionage activity that had been directed, coordinated and financed by Japanese journalists.

As a result Russian journalist Pasko has already been in custody for more than 16 months, and the FSB has been repeatedly and openly (prejudicially) stigmatizing him as a spy. Japanese journalists under whose instruction and guidance, according to the FSB, "spy" Pasko was operating are still working in Russia. This is an evident indication that the FSB has not a single reason to assert that the activity of Japanese journalists was of criminal nature either there is no reason to speak about the criminal nature of their cooperation with Grigory Pasko.

Such obvious contradictions in the accusation of the journalist and many other known circumstances of this "espionage case" make us doubt the validity of all accusations on Pasko's case. A large number of national and international public organizations are sharing our doubts. Amnesty International, the world-wide popular organization, declared Grigory Pasko prisoner of conscience. Public attention in many countries is now being riveted on the current trial in Vladivostok.

Unfortunately generally known information on the proceedings fills the community with serious misgivings that the court suffers the pressure of the FSB. The court's decision to remain Pasko in custody during the hearings made on the basis of the FSB's recommendations (in spite of Pasko's hypertensive crisis and general serious deterioration of health condition), barring one of Pasko's lawyers from the court, threatening the defendant with removing him from the courtroom - all this and many other circumstances of the proceedings leave few hopes for the triumph of justice in the case of Grigory Pasko.

The activity of journalist Pasko and his Japanese colleagues was aimed at the establishment of neighbourly relations between Japan and Russia. Unfortunately both in Russia and in Japan there are people who are not interested in the progress of such relations .Otherwise how can be explained the facts of prosecution of the journalist for his professional activity in Russia and of persistent reluctance of Japanese media to pay serious attention to this case.

"Pasko's case" has already considerably complicated and will in the future the development of Russian-Japanese relations. Therefore we request that you pay attention that is necessary to restore justice in respect of the man who had greatly contributed by his work to the very good-neigbour relations between our countries being the purpose of the historical summit you are preparing for.

Your attention to these legal proceedings can protect the court from any kind of unlawful pressure and will impel it to impartially and deliberately appraise the arguments of inquiry in order to give a judgment solely in the interests of truth and justice.