"This is a forced decision." The President of the Russian Academy of Sciences withdrew his candidacy from the election of the head of the academy and spoke about the pressure on scientists

The head of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alexander Sergeev, announced the withdrawal of his candidacy from the election of the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“This election campaign is taking place in unprecedented conditions. Many members of the Russian Academy of Sciences are subjected to psychological and even external, administrative pressure, especially after publicly declaring their position. This has never happened before, at least in the recent history of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The events of recent days are forcing me to withdraw my candidacy from the election of the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ”Sergeev said. Who and on whom exactly presses - Sergeev did not mention.

He thanked the members of the Russian Academy of Sciences supporting him and said that he did not encourage his colleagues to give their votes to any of the other applicants. “This is a forced decision. I urge all of you to make a decision in accordance with our common academic traditions and values,” the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences also said.

The election of the head of the academy should take place tomorrow, September 20. Four candidates were nominated for them, but the government approved only three, refusing to nominate Academician Robert Nigmatulin. Now, only two academicians, Gennady Krasnikov and Dmitry Markovich, are running for the post of head of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

After today's removal from the election of Sergeyev, an informal community of members of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Club 1 of July" made a statement. The academicians noted that administrative bodies interfered in the elections, and this led to the exclusion of two candidates from them. Academicians called the upcoming elections a "farce", participation in which seems humiliating for them. “The most important principle of the activity of the Russian Academy of Sciences is democracy, and by no means a game of democracy,” the club said in a statement.

The head of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergeev, recently spoke about the criminal prosecution of scientists under the article on state life. He said that in many cases "there is a real serious background" for this, but noted that with scientists, as with the intelligentsia, "could not be so tough." During this summer, three Novosibirsk scientists were suspected of treason. One of them, Dmitry Kolker, died two days after being transferred to the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center in Moscow - he had the fourth stage of cancer.

Updated at 13:48. Added community statement "Club 1st of July".

Source: RBC , "Club 1 July"