A court in Sri Lanka freed by the Russians, detained on charges of collecting beetles

Court of Sri Lanka has changed the measure of restraint to the two Russians detained in the case of the scientist Alexander Ignatenko, accused of collecting rare insects. This was announced by Vice-President of the Russian division of the International Committee for the protection of human rights Ivan Melnikov.

“the Court has released from custody two friends Ignatenko – Artem Ryabov and Nikolai Kalapana. They changed the measure of restraint on the personal guarantee, – TASS quoted Melnikov. – He Ignatenko is still in the hospital because of deteriorating health”.

the human rights Activist stressed that the Russians detained in unacceptable conditions: they had to sleep on the floor in the room where in addition they were to a hundred people.

Previously a number of Russian scientists appealed to the foreign Ministry with a request to provide assistance to colleagues. According to Melnikov, Ignatenko and his friends need money to pay lawyers and guarantors.

Ignatenko – an employee of the zoo of Rostov-on-don. Along with two friends, he was detained on charges of harming the environment. The Russians do not admit guilt, claiming that they only collected dead bugs – and then only to take a picture and throw it away. And they did it outside the reserve.