Press Release 11.02.2021

Photo: Konstantin Markelov, Rector of Astrakhan State University/ photo from the official website of Astrakhan State University

Chairman of the Yabloko party Nikolai Rybakov sent an appeal to Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education, as well as Vladimir Filippov, Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission, demanding to check the Ph.D. thesis of Rector of Astrakhan State University Konstantin Markelov for plagiarism. In case the plagiarism discovered by Dissernet in cofimed, Rybakov urges to deprive Markelov of his academic degree.

Earlier, the Dissernet organisation engaged in the expertise of dissertations for plagiatrism discovered plagiarism in 99 out of 149 pages of the text in the dissertation of the Rector. “I believe that it is especially important for the head of an educational institution to have a dissertation that does not cause suspicion of plagiarism,” the Yabloko Chairman said.

It should be noted that on January 29, the Rector expelled three students “in an administrative order” for participation in a peaceful protest action on 23 January, 2021. Two of the students – Violetta Yemelyanenko and Alexander Mochalov – are members of the Youth Yabloko. In early February, the Yabloko chairman turned to the ASU rector with a demand to reinstate the students, since Markelov had no right to expel them. Even according to the internal regulations of the university and the charter of the university, the basis for expulsion can only be the educational activities of students, Rybakov pointed out in his appeal.

“Rector Markelov is an example of the lack of principles. He was caught plagiarising his own dissertation, and he expelled students who, in accordance with their constitutional right, participated in political activity and wanted to make the state fair and just. A person who has allegedly built a scientific career on a fake dissertation cannot be a guarantor of the rights and freedoms of students at his university,” the Yabloko leader said.