Charges were dropped against Alexander Tsvetkov, a researcher with the Institute of Inland Aquatic Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who had been detained in connection with murders committed two decades ago. His attorney, David Afyan, shared the news with socialbites.ca. The scientist spent nearly a year in pre-trial detention, and after the case was resolved he was prohibited from certain activities for several months. The family now hopes for full rehabilitation from the state.
“Today the decision was made to terminate criminal proceedings due to a lack of involvement in the crime, which means the preventive measure restricting certain actions issued by the Zamoskvoretsky court has been lifted. Rehabilitation options include compensation for material damages and expenses incurred, as well as any fees unpaid during detention. Consequently, the harm includes illegal criminal prosecution and detention,” the lawyer explained.
Afyan noted that Tsvetkov’s innocence could be demonstrated through witness testimonies and documents from expeditions in which the scientist participated at the time the crimes occurred.
Tsvetkov’s wife, Marina, told socialbites.ca that her husband intends to exercise his right to rehabilitation for illegal persecution.
“The officials have not apologized yet, we are waiting. We have a right to rehabilitation, and we will exercise it,” she stated.
Alexander Tsvetkov, a researcher at the Institute of Inland Aquatic Biology, was stopped at Domodedovo airport in February 2023 while returning from a scientific expedition. He faced accusations related to a sequence of brutal murders in the Moscow region dating back twenty years. The arrest stemmed from a facial match with a 55 percent similarity to a suspected criminal profile created by an early neural network analysis.
On December 4, 2023, Eva Merkacheva, a member of the Human Rights Council, outlined the situation surrounding the Tsvetkov case to the Russian President. By December 11, the Moscow Zamoskvoretsky Court shifted the preventive measure from arrest to a restriction on certain actions.
In related news, a former StopKham leader, Chugunov, and other Patriots activists were reported to be serving prison sentences, highlighting ongoing tensions around political and civic activism in the region.