After the sentence

Almost immediately after the verdict in the case of the “Network” (the organization banned in Russia), a group of scientists wrote a statement open to signing ( Scientific.ru/zayavlenie-po-delu-seti ). Here is his text.

We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, are outraged by the verdict in the so -called “network ” case , issued on February 10, 2020 in Penza.

The seven young people who have not committed any dangerous acts were convicted of prison terms of 6 to 18 years, allegedly for the creation of a “terrorist community”. Such a severe accusation is based on extremely dubious “evidence”. The convicts have repeatedly reported torture that they were subjected to confessions, but these statements were actually ignored during the investigation and the court .

All that we know about the “network” case ” suggests that it is completely fabricated. A frankly non -legal sentence indicates the complete paralysis of an independent judicial system in our country. Unlike those invented “terrorist attacks” that the convicts allegedly “planned to plan”, the decision on the “network” case is a real act of terror, which strikes a brutal blow on the basics of Russian statehood.

We demand to immediately cancel the verdict in the “network ” case , with meaningless cruelty breaking the fate of our fellow citizens. We demand to investigate the circumstances of the factory of this case, punish officials involved in it and ensure strict compliance with the law by all power and law enforcement agencies. Terror against their own citizens is incompatible with the normal development of our country and is destructive for its science, culture and education.

On February 12, I published this text (not being his author) on my Facebook page, not suspecting that the media themselves were grabbing him in the blink of an eye - to send how we intended to do this, I did not have to go anywhere. Together with Maxim Borisov, I had to get out of an unexpected shaft of signatures under this letter, since only we had a corresponding resource and experience from the involved. On February 22, we closed the “gross” collection of signatures, although we left the opportunity to subscribe by e -mail. At that time, about 3550 people, who can be attributed to scientists, and about 2250 citizens who supported the statement of scientists. The division into scientists and who sometimes supported not obvious, say, if a person writes a “lawyer” or “psychologist” about himself, this can mean anything. There are about a thousand more unconfirmed signatures: to protect against spam, it was required to confirm the email address, the signer was sent a letter with the link by which it was necessary to click - this is the standard method. Perhaps some had a letter in spam or simply did not reach. Several such cases were revealed, so if one of the signed does not see himself on the list, please write to the address indicated under the appeal.

Among the signed scientists are 14 academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences and 28 corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Doctors of science are about 15%. A disproportionately a lot of humanities.

Another surprise - truckers, or rather their trade union “Association of carriers of Russia”, together supported the appeal - about 30 people were signed individually.

Of the almost six thousand confirmed signatures, two were withdrawn.

Scientists have already made a statement in August 2019 in connection with the Moscow Affairs. Then about 2150 signatures of scientists and supporting citizens were collected. Now, it seemed, there would be fewer signatures, it seemed that people began to be more afraid. We were mistaken - the signatures turned out to be almost three times more. Fortunately, there were no serious provocative attacks, such as in August, this time. Yes, and hooligans signed by the "Stalin Josephs" or late academics, there were much fewer. And there were fewer evil comments, and if they appeared, they received a good rebuff.

Of course, many are still afraid to sign such letters, which sometimes they are directly admitted. But the impression is that society still slowly wakes up, although slowly.

Boris Stern