A US court dropped all criminal charges against researcher Russiaya Petrova, who was arrested for smuggling frog embryos. A federal judge in the US dropped a criminal case against Russian scientist Ksiya Petrova, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, who was accused of smuggling embryos in frogs, the Associated Press reported. Judge Leo Sorokin accepted an offer from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and closed the case without being able to pursue those charges. On November 3, Massachusetts federal prosecutor Leah Foley asked the court to drop the lawsuit. The petition stated that the cost of resources to continue the procedure exceeds the public interest in completion. At the same time, the prosecutor's office called the defense claims that Petrov was persecuted selectively and for political reasons unfounded. Petrova was arrested on February 16 at the Boston airport after returning from France. In her suitcase were found samples of frog embryos, intended for scientific research. She is charged with withholding information, providing false information and smuggling. Petrova claimed that she did not know about the need to declare the samples and did not try to smuggle them into the country. After her arrest she was revoked and placed in an immigration center in Louisiana. The US Justice Department insisted on her deportation to Russia, despite security concerns that she could be prosecuted for her anti-war stance. On June 12, after four months in prison, she was released on bail. Petrova said she was afraid to return to Russia because of the threat of political persecution. In 2022, she was arrested in Moscow for participating in anti-war demonstrations, and has been openly opposing the Russian invasion of Ukraine ever since. According to her lawyer, social media posts and participation in petitions make her a potential target for criminal prosecution at home. Photo: Associated Press.

A US court dropped all criminal charges against researcher Russiaya Petrova, who was arrested for smuggling frog embryos. A federal judge in the US dropped a criminal case against Russian scientist Ksiya Petrova, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, who was accused of smuggling embryos in frogs, the Associated Press reported. Judge Leo Sorokin accepted an offer from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and closed the case without being able to pursue those charges. On November 3, Massachusetts federal prosecutor Leah Foley asked the court to drop the lawsuit. The petition stated that the cost of resources to continue the procedure exceeds the public interest in completion. At the same time, the prosecutor's office called the defense claims that Petrov was persecuted selectively and for political reasons unfounded. Petrova was arrested on February 16 at the Boston airport after returning from France. In her suitcase were found samples of frog embryos, intended for scientific research. She is charged with withholding information, providing false information and smuggling. Petrova claimed that she did not know about the need to declare the samples and did not try to smuggle them into the country. After her arrest she was revoked and placed in an immigration center in Louisiana. The US Justice Department insisted on her deportation to Russia, despite security concerns that she could be prosecuted for her anti-war stance. On June 12, after four months in prison, she was released on bail. Petrova said she was afraid to return to Russia because of the threat of political persecution. In 2022, she was arrested in Moscow for participating in anti-war demonstrations, and has been openly opposing the Russian invasion of Ukraine ever since. According to her lawyer, social media posts and participation in petitions make her a potential target for criminal prosecution at home. Photo: Associated Press.