MOSCOW, August 5 (RAPSI) – The Justice Ministry has asked the Moscow Bar Association to take disciplinary actions against four defense lawyers for ex-newspaper journalist Ivan Safronov charged with treason, attorney Ivan Pavlov has told RAPSI.

According to Pavlov, the Ministry seeks disciplinary against the defense team because of their refusal to make a signed non-disclosure statement after bringing charges against the defendant.

Safronov was arrested on July 8. The same day Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court detained him until September 6. According to the Roscosmos press service, Safronov’s arrest is not connected with his work in the company. On July 13, he was charged with treason. 

Investigators claim Safronov has transmitted secret military information to the Czech intelligence services which, as it known, are linked to the U.S. security agencies. The defendant pleads not guilty.

The former reporter of Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers was appointed as advisor of Dmitry Rogozin in May 2020 after a scandal related to the publication of an explosive article about possible resignation of the Federation Council head Valentina Matviyenko.