Trepashkin is forbidden to be present at consideration of his case

The court has not allowed Mikhail Trepashkin, ex-FSB officer, convicted for disclosure of state secrets, to be present at consideration of his cassation complaint against the decision to toughen his punishment serving conditions.

The respective Trepashkin's petition was rejected today by the Judicial Board for Criminal Cases of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court, as Gleb Edelev, coordinator of the Ekaterinburg Movement against Violence, who was present in the courtroom, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Mr Edelev, Mikhail Trepashkin was virtually present in the courtroom - communication of the trial parties with him was organized through the video conference facility. Physically, he stayed at the investigatory prison (SIZO) No. 1 of Ekaterinburg.

"It was impossible to properly present Trepashkin's position. Firstly, the sound was bad: it was hard to understand what Trepashkin was saying. Secondly, there was no chance to properly get acquainted with documents," Gleb Edelev said.

The defendant had to fax the documents in support of his position from the SIZO, but there were problems here too: he failed to fax all the required documents.

At the request of the public defender, the Judicial Board has announced a break in the trial till November 14.

On November 6, a picket was held in Moscow in support of ex-FSB lieutenant colonel Mikhail Trepashkin, convicted for disclosure of state secrets and storage of cartridges; he had been investigating the explosions of houses in Moscow, of which natives of the Caucasus were accused.