Russian Supreme Court refuses to review scientist Lapygin's treason conviction
MOSCOW. July 24 (Interfax) - The Russian Supreme Court has rejected two appeals against a seven-year prison sentence of Vladimir Lapygin, a 76-year-old employee of the Central Research Institute of Machine Building (TsNIImash) who was convicted for treason.
The court "refused to send for review the complaints filed by lawyer V. Kalinichenko in the interest of the convict and by Lapygin himself," a court official told Interfax, noting that the decisions were made back in June of last year.
On September 6, 2016, Moscow City Court found Lapygin guilty of treason and sentenced him to seven years of imprisonment instead of the 12-20 years normally envisaged for the crime.
The defense lawyer Vasily Protsyk told Interfax that his client pleaded not guilty.
The trial was held behind closed doors because of the classified nature of the material. Meanwhile, a source told Interfax that the scientist was indicted for collaboration with an Asian country.
Lapygin was a long-time employee of TsNIImash, the head institute of Roscosmos, and taught at Bauman State Technical University in Moscow. He was head of a gas and aerodynamics research center.