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DATE=2/8/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-245242 TITLE=RUSSIA TREASON (S&L) BYLINE=EVE CONANT DATELINE=VLADIVOSTOK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE TRIAL OF A RUSSIAN NAVY CAPTAIN ACCUSED OF ESPIONAGE AND REVEALING STATE SECRETS RESUMED MONDAY IN (RUSSIA'S FAR EASTERN CITY) VLADIVOSTOK, ONLY TO BE POSTPONED AGAIN -- THIS TIME UNTIL FEBRUARY 16TH. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT EVE CONANT IS IN VLADIVOSTOK AND WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE CAPTAIN. TEXT: SHACKLED WITH HANDCUFFS, CAPTAIN GRIGORY PASKO WAS LED BY FIVE POLICEMEN UP THE CRUMBLING AND POORLY-LIT STAIRS OF A VLADIVOSTOK MILITARY COURT. THE 36-YEAR-OLD NAVY CAPTAIN AND MILITARY JOURNALIST IS CHARGED WITH HIGH TREASON AND ESPIONAGE FOR REVEALING THE DUMPING OF RUSSIAN MILITARY RADIOACTIVE WASTE AT SEA. HE IS BEING TRIED BY A MILITARY JUDGE AND TWO OFFICERS IN A CLOSED HEARING MONDAY. HE HAS BEEN DENIED ALL ACCESS TO THE MEDIA, BUT V-O-A WAS THERE TO CATCH HIS COMMENTS GOING INTO THE COURT. ///ACT PASKO IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER/// CAPTAIN PASKO SHOUTS---IT'S A GULAG (SOVIET CAMPS FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS) TRIAL. RECORD THAT AND TELL EVERYONE. // OPT // CAPTAIN PASKO IS REFERRING TO THE REPRESSIVE ERA OF SOVIET TRIALS WHICH SENT MILLIONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS TO LANGUISH IN COMMUNIST WORK CAMPS. //END OPT// THE NAVY CAPTAIN AND FREELANCE JOURNALIST HAS ALREADY SPENT 14 MONTHS IN WHAT HIS ATTORNEYS CALL A TUBERCULOSIS-INFESTED PRISON, BUT HAS YET TO BE FOUND GUILTY OF ANY CHARGE. THE PRISONER RIGHTS WATCHDOG ORGANIZATION AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAYS CAPTAIN PASKO IS A "PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE." DEFENSE LAWYER OLEG KOTLEROV TELLS V-O-A THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICES -- THE SUCCESSOR TO THE K-G-B INTELLIGENCE SERVICE -- WHO ARRESTED HIM ARE VIOLATING RUSSIAN LAW. ///OLEG KOTLEROV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER/// MR. KOTLEROV SAYS -- THEY ARE USING ILLEGAL INTERROGATION METHODS AND SLEEP DEPRAVATION TO INVESTIGATE HIM. (SIGNED) NEB / WD / WD 08-Feb-99 3:54 AM EST (0854 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .