http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article3597972.ece

A fairytale writer and cultural anthropologist who has been defending the disappearing culture of the Pomor people in the frozen north of Russia is facing trial for high treason.

The case against Ivan Moseyev — suspected by the Russian secret police of fomenting discontent among the 7,000 descendants of 18th century Norwegian trappers — highlights the political sensitivity of the Arctic region. Human rights campaigners are worried that the use of treason charges marks a new development in the treatment of dissidents. “This is the only case that I know about of treason laws being used in this way,” said Patricia Kaatee, a policy adviser for Amnesty International in Norway. It fitted into a pattern of tougher action against critics of President Putin, she added. “Amnesty deplores that the repression of dissenting political views has become harsher since Putin came to power.”

Mr Putin was elected to a third presidential term in March.

The work carried out by Mr Moseyev, 54, included compiling folk tales, songs and a dictionary. The work was funded by Norway as part of the transnational Barents Sea co-operation project to help civil society in the region.

“With financial support from Norway, Moseyev produced a dictionary of the languages of the Pomors,” said an FSB secret police analysis prepared for the indictment. “On the basis of this he published a series of articles and conducted activities aimed at harming Russian security.”