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Dmitry Lopatin, a 26-year-old scientist who invented a cheap new kind of solar battery, has come across an unexpected obstacle. He was slapped with a three-year suspended jail sentence, for using banned materials in his invention. The researcher was facing 11 years behind bars, but the prosecutor's office dealing with the case agreed that a suspended sentence would suffice, the TASS news agency reported.
From rt.com:
Lopatin got in trouble with the authorities for using a solvent called gamma-Butyrolactone in order to make his solar batteries. It turned out this was a banned substance in Russia. He had placed a mail order for the solvent from China, and he was arrested when he went to collect it from the post office in June.
The researcher had tried to use a different substance, but found that it was too toxic to work with.
"In my work I was using a solvent which is toxic and can cause cancer. That is why I tried to find a substitute. I found one via the Internet and ordered it," he told RT.
"A month and a half later the parcel reached customs and I was called in and detained. Police launched a criminal case against me and I was interrogated. There were several court hearings. I chose to order from China because of the strict laws there. I had no idea that in China I could order a solvent which is banned in Russia."
Given that he is a researcher, is the use of the banned substance reasonable?
Original Submission
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 20 2015, @12:46AM
The chemical in question appears to be a precursor for a recreational drug, which is probably why it's banned in Russia.
See further down the Wikipedia article: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma-Butyrolactone#Recreational_use [wikipedia.org]
I further point out the note on home synthesis kits, that use the precursor, being sold to get around the laws for the real drug. So, solar battery researcher? Really?
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 20 2015, @03:36AM
You would make an excellent police officer. Assume the very worst about someone without any evidence and insinuate everyone that does not agree with you is an idiot.
Here he is, in his lab, with his solar battery:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-scientist-hounded-by-officials-after-buying-banned-substance/525810.html [themoscowtimes.com]
There is even works made by him on the subject floating around in Russian. You know, theses and various papers that scientists and researchers do.
Trivial to show that he was indeed doing what he said he was doing, yet you did not even bother to look did you? Just throw the book at 'im guv and wash your hands of this ne'er-do-well.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 20 2015, @12:45PM
It is the job of police to arrest people doing apparently illegal things, like importing controlled substances without authorization. The court determines whether there are mitigating circumstances. If he's a researcher, he should have done some, ahh, research on the chemical beforehand.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 20 2015, @10:10PM
"I was just doing my job." is no excuse. If the police are enforcing unjust and unethical laws, then they themselves also unjust and unethical.
These laws are ridiculous to begin with. The war on drugs is truly disgusting.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 21 2015, @12:39AM
The problem is that though it is patently obvious which laws are unjust and unethical to self-appointed morality pricks like you, not everyone falls within the little arbitrary bounds of truth and righteousness that you've etched in chalk (because it is easier to erase it and move them when it suits your purposes) about you. Inquisitions and ethnic cleansing come from people like you. No, thank you, I'm happy with the police enforcing the laws and for the people, lawmakers and judges to work out the ethics and morality.
There's not a whole lot of space between picking and choosing laws to ignore, and picking and choosing your own interpretation of the laws on the books. I hear there might be a Sheriff position in Arizona that might open up where you might fit in well.