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[Third Issue of the Day]
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Protesters rally over jailing of Russian reporter
By Oleg Zhunusov
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Dozens of protesters gathered in Russia's Pacific port of Vladivostok on Thursday to demand the release of journalist Grigory Pasko, jailed last month on charges of high treason.
Criticism of the military court verdict has mounted, with the head of Russia's upper house of parliament describing as groundless Pasko's conviction for telling Japan about the Russian navy dumping toxic waste in the Sea of Japan.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Vladivostok offices of the FSB domestic security service, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB that brought the case against Pasko, a former navy captain who worked as journalist for the Pacific Fleet's newspaper.
"I think a precedent will be created. Some positive decision must be taken," Pasko's wife Galina, bundled up against sub-zero temperatures, told RTR state television. "Justice must triumph."
The group unfurled a large yellow banner reading "Try Corrupt Admirals, not Journalists" and remained outside the building for about an hour before dispersing.
The FSB denounced the protest as a "well-organised political action in no way related to justice."
Four people were briefly detained this week after taking part in an unauthorised rally outside the FSB's Moscow headquarters. Interfax news agency said they had been ordered to appear before a city court.
A military court found Pasko guilty of passing military secrets to Japan, sentencing him to four years in a high-security jail. He will appeal against the verdict.
The military prosecutor's office has also appealed, saying Pasko's four-year jail term was too lenient.
Sergei Mironov, head of the Federation Council upper house of parliament, became the first high-ranking official to denounce the ruling.
"As a citizen of Russia, I think the man has been convicted for no good reason," Mironov said in St Petersburg on Wednesday.
"If a military secret affects hundreds of thousands of people, or even millions, and affects the health of their children, I don't think there should be any punishment for violating such a secret."
Pasko's defence was built on a Russian law stipulating that information about environmental dangers could not be classified.
Human rights groups have also spoken against the verdict. Amnesty International this week called for his release and said his prosecution appeared "motivated by political reprisal for exposing the practice of dumping nuclear waste."
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