Mikhail Suprun

Mikhail Suprun Михаил Николаевич Супрун (born 5 April 1955 in Severodvinsk) is a Russian historian and professor of the Pomor State University named after M. V. Lomonosov. In 2009 he was arrested in connection with a book he wrote on what Open Democracy has called a "trumped up charge".[1]

Academic Career

He received a PhD in 1984. In 1996 he earned the title of Doctor Habilitated from the Institute of Russian History, Russian Academy of Sciences.

Arkhangelsk Affair

Arrest

In 2009 Suprun was arrested by the FSB for his investigations into the fate of Germans imprisoned in the Soviet Union during the Second World War and after the war. [1] This has been dubbed the "Arkhangelsk Affair". Suprun is accused of infringing Article 137 of the Russian Criminal Code, which prohibits the exposing of "personal or family secrets" of victims of Soviet repression if their consent has not been given. Police Colonel Alexander Dudarev, head of the Internal Ministry archives of the Arkhangelsk Region, is also being prosecuted for giving Suprun permission to access the archives in order to do his research.

Trial

In September 2011 the trial of Suprun and Dudarev began behind closed doors.[1] The case was adjourned in December before a verdict was given, according to the charity Memorial in order to avoid negative publicity before Russia's parliamentary elections.[1]

Works

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Russia’s history wars: access to the truth restricted – again, Opendemocracy.net, retrieved 6/12/2011