Source link : https://london-news.net/harvard-researcher-ksenia-petrova-charged-with-smuggling-faces-deportation-and-persecution-fears-in-russia/
U.S. officials have accused Ksenia Petrova, a Russian scientist and Harvard Medical School researcher, of smuggling biological materials and have announced plans to deport her to Russia. Her legal representatives caution that she could be at risk of persecution there due to her anti-war stance.
The 31-year-old Petrova was officially charged on Wednesday with suspicion of attempting to smuggle frog embryos and embryonic samples into the United States. If found guilty, she could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years, as outlined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston.
These charges relate to an incident that occurred on February 16, when customs officers detained Petrova at Boston Logan International Airport after her return from Paris. Her U.S. research visa was revoked on the same day, and she was subsequently placed in immigration custody.
Petrova’s attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, described the allegations as “outrageous and legally indefensible.”
“Yesterday, the government confirmed in court its intention to deport Ksenia to Russia, fully aware that she will encounter severe dangers for opposing the Putin government,” he stated in a message sent to The Moscow Times.
Romanovsky contended that Petrova did not require a permit to bring in non-living frog embryos, which, according to U.S. Customs regulations, are not classified as restricted biological materials.
“The federal district court in Vermont established yesterday that Customs and Border Protection…
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Publish date : 2025-05-17 15:22:00
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