The publication «T-Invariant» and the CISRUS center launched the «Chronicles of the Persecution of Scientists» two years ago. Currently, there are 126 entries in the database: 23 organizations and 103 individuals. 43 people have faced criminal prosecution, 30 are in custody.
The latest update in the project is Nikolai Zyuzyev, whose detention in a detention center became known at the end of September, although he was detained in the summer. Philosopher and sociologist Zyuzyev moved to Toronto in 2008, where he obtained Canadian citizenship. In 2016, he returned to Russia and taught at Syktyvkar State University until 2022. After the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the scientist returned to Canada but occasionally visited his native village in the Kortkerossky district. During one of these visits, he was detained and sent to a detention center.
Zyuzyev is suspected of confidential cooperation with a foreign state. This article provides for a penalty of imprisonment for a term of three to eight years with a fine and restriction of freedom.
In the «T-Invariant» database, there is a scientist who was prosecuted under this article — Anton Klimkin from the Institute of Atmospheric Optics named after V. E. Zuev in Tomsk.
When the verdict was delivered (in June 2024), the lawyer stated that Klimkin's sentence is a very dangerous precedent. «The danger is: for Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (cooperation with foreigners), it is not necessary to establish the fact of transmitting information constituting a state secret. This article provides for liability for confidential communication with a representative of a foreign state. As far as I know, this is the first case under this article concerning a scientist for communication with foreign colleagues. And „testing“ this article on scientists creates a dangerous precedent, which may lead to the expansion of repressions against them, since it will not be necessary to establish the fact of transmitting any information, it will be enough to prove only the fact of communication».
The fact of «communication» in the case of Zyuzyev does not even need to be proven: the scientist permanently resides in Canada.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».