News

Seven witnesses to testify

Publish date: November 26, 1999

Written by: Siri Engesæth

Judge Golets told the defenders today that seven witnesses are to be questioned throughout the second week of the trial.

All the witnesses are Russian citizens, except Thomas Nilsen from the Bellona Foundation head office in Oslo. Nilsen co-authored the Northern Fleet report. The suggested list of witnesses from the prosecution comprised 27 persons.

The other six witnesses are:

Valeri F. Bezverkhi, dean of department 33 of the Kuznetsov Naval Academy. He can confirm that Alexander Nikitin called the academy and that he transferred the call to V. S. Artemenkov. Mr. Artemenkov was the key-witness of the case, but died in December 1997.

Vladislav P. Ibadulayev, dean of department 25 of the Kuznetsov Naval Academy. Ibadulayev explained Alexander Nikitin how to calculate activity levels of radioactive isotopes.

Nikolay G. Mormul, retired admiral and member of the advisory panel of the Bellona report, especially on chapter eight. Mormul was summoned for the first trial but could not attend because of illness.

Vyacheslav A. Perovsky, head specialist of the Minatom Institute for Industrial Technology. Mr. Perovsky was a member of the advisory board of the Bellona report. Perovsky handed over the draft version of the report to the FSB after obtaining it from Igor Kudrik in October 1995. During interrogation Perovsky has said that "some information in the Bellona report may be classified".

Galina D. Sopko, employee of the Kuznetsov Academy’s library. Sopko can testify that Artemenkov received books, which he let Alexander Nikitin look through on August 8, 1995.

Yevgeny D. Chernov, retired admiral and Nikitin’s father in-law. Chernov has testified about his and Nikitin’s three trips to Oslo in 1994 and 1995. He also confirmed that Nikitin had signed a working contract with Bellona.

Chernov also testified about the above-mentioned circumstances during last year’s trial.