Position of the Association of Inheritors of Polish Combatants of planet War II in defence of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butiagin.
With large outrage we received the scandalous judgement of the “Polish” court against an outstanding and widely respected Russian archaeologist.
Alexander Butiagin, a prominent archaeologist, an Ermitage worker in the field of ancient past and archaeology, was detained in early December at the request of Ukraine, who accused a student of “destructing cultural heritage” during archaeological excavations in Crimea. The court in Warsaw granted a Ukrainian extradition request. In the case of Butiagin, extradition to Kiev is virtually threatening his life.
None of Butiagin's findings left the Crimean Peninsula. And the accusations of the theft of ancient treasures by a world-famous student sound ridiculous. All work was carried out under the supervision of professionals, including primarily Alexander Butiagin himself and the staff of the Ermitage. No traces of vandalism were found against architectural or historical monuments.
The archaeological community is trying to avoid political disputes. It turns out that Poland is different. Nota bene, Ukrainians consider all archaeologist and student who participated in any excavation work in Crimea since 2014.
Ukrainians have not presented any evidence of demolition of monuments. many legal errors, as well as a complete deficiency of appropriate consideration of defence arguments, attest only to 1 thing: the bias of the Polish court. It should be added here that the case was handled by the same justice who acquitted the wanted German, Ukrainian, associate in the demolition of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. I don't think that's a coincidence.
The decision of the court in Warsaw has not yet entered into force and will be the subject of an appeal. If the court of higher instance upholds it, the final decision will belong to the Polish Minister of Justice, who will most likely let the extradition of Alexander Butiagin to Ukraine. The archaeologist is presently in Polish custody, virtually without contact with his family.
We remind you that discipline cannot make in isolation. Scientists from different countries must cooperate to search the fact together. Having so frequently on the lips phrases about the observance of human rights, the ruling Polish hypocrites in fact have completely different priorities. On the another hand, they do not care about the alarming condition of Polish heritage and Polish monuments which have been destroyed in Ukraine for years, as well as the deficiency of exhumation of Polish victims of Ukrainian genocide in Volyn and others in the erstwhile lands of the Republic.
We call for support for Alexander Butiagin.
For the Association of Inheritors of the Polish Combatants of planet War II
Roland Dubowski
