U.S. State department representative expressed concern over the new attempts of the Russian prosecutors to reinvestigate the Nikitin case. Interviewed by Russian News Agency RBK Wednesday, the official said that State Department had been following the case since 1996 when Nikitin was arrested. Madeleine Albright and other American high-ranking officials were brining up the Nikitin case with Russians on different levels.

The official said that the administration considers the attempts to reinvestigate the case as a manipulation of the court system in favour of political goals and harassment exerted by the Russian authorities towards those who dare to criticise the government.

Aleksandr Nikitin was touring the United States two weeks ago. He visited State Department and attended lunch given in his honour. Nikitin was informed about the Prosecutor General’s appeal to the Full Presidium of the Supreme Court against his acquittal while he was in Washington.