“Project” called presidential aide Seryshev the “curator” of the case of historian Dmitriev

The “project” claims that FSB general and assistant to President Vladimir Putin Anatoly Seryshev was the “curator” of the case of sexual assault against Karelian historian Yuri Dmitriev. The publication talks about this with reference to two sources familiar with the case.

According to the Project, a source close to the presidential administration added that Seryshev was “interested” in Dmitriev’s case. The interlocutor in the Kremlin noted that the general has direct access to Putin.

In addition, the publication claims that “Seryshev’s move up the career ladder surprisingly echoes the events associated with the trial of the historian.”

Dmitriev was acquitted in 2018. At this time, Seryshev “received a position in the Kremlin, potentially related to control over the judiciary” and “people involved in the acquittal left their positions for various reasons,” the publication writes.

“Prosecutor Elena Askerova resigned. Judge Marina Nosova, who delivered the acquittal, was denied a promotion; Nosova also ceased to be the chairman of the Petrozavodsk City Court, her place was taken by judge Alexander Merkov,” Proekt gives examples.

Merkov conducted the second trial against Dmitriev and found him guilty.

In 2016, Yuri Dmitriev, who was involved in researching mass graves during the Great Terror, was charged with producing pornography and indecent assault because of nine photographs of his naked adopted daughter. Soon after his acquittal in 2018, the verdict was overturned, and the historian was sent to a pre-trial detention center on a new criminal case of sexual assault.

In July 2020, Dmitriev was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, but in September of the same year the punishment was increased to 13 years. The Third Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction upheld the verdict.