Statement by the Novosibirsk branch of Yabloko, 9.12.2020

Photo: Physicist Valentin Danilov in the office of the Novosibirsk regional branch of the Yabloko party in January 2018

The European Court of Human Rights ruled out that Russia violated the right of physicist Valentin Danilov to a fair trial. Four of the twelve jurors were linked with the state security bodies. Also, the judge did not allow a cross-examination of the ten experts who prepared the indictment and the questioning of 17 witnesses of the scientist’s defence. Among these witnesses were academicians who claimed that Danilov operated with published materials.

In 2004, he was sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security penal colony for espionage, although in 2003 Danilov was acquitted by a different jury.

In the late 1990s, Valentin Danilov studied the effect of solar activity on satellites in space orbits. He headed the Thermophysical Centre of the Krasnoyarsk State Technological University. The investigation and prosecution experts discovered allegedly classified materials in a contract for scientific research signed by Danilov with a Chinese company.

Nobel Prize laureate Academician Vitaly Ginzburg called the “espionage” cases of scientists Danilov and Igor Sutyagin, convicted in another case, “fake trials organised by certain circles that want to earn capital on this business”. The academician said: “Such trials are causing great harm to our country”.

The Russian Ministry of Justice reported that the conclusions of the European Court of Human Rights will be examined “in cooperation with the competent state bodies”, and the issue of appealing this decision will be resolved within three months.

We sincerely congratulate Valentin Vladimirovich on his victory in the European Court of Human Rights!

The photo pictures Valentin Vladimirovich Danilov in the office of the Novosibirsk regional branch of the Yabloko party in January 2018.

Members of the Novosibirsk branch of Yabloko