Background: Nikitin Case 1998

Bellona
On 29 October 1998, Judge Sergey Golets decided to return the case against Aleksandr Nikitin to the FSB for further investigations. Both the defence and the prosecution appealed this ruling to the Supreme Court.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
[ 12.11.1998 Casefile ]
Analysis of the Nikitin verdict
This is said to be the first time ever that a Russian court has sent a case initiated by Soviet or Russian security services back to additional investigation in stead of passing a guilty verdict. Thus, the verdict is a crushing defeat for the FSB.
[ 05.11.1998 Casefile ]
Complaint by the defence team
The defenders agree with the City Court's evaluation that the indictment is in conflict with the criminal process code and the legislation on state secrets, and that all of the expert evaluations must be rejected. But, they demand that the case, due to its unconstitutional basis must be brought to a conclusion (rather than being sent back to further investigations).
[ 17.10.1998 Casefile ]
The Nikitin trial. Analysis of the indictment
Jon Gauslaa (b. 1962) is a lawyer with a special degree in international law from the University of Oslo, 1988. He has among other worked as advisor in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice (1990-97). He is currently legal advisor of the Bellona Foundation, and part-time lecturer at the University of Oslo. He has published several legal articles.

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