Tobbin will appeal for pardon

To all appearances, John Edward Tobbin, sentenced by Voronezh court to three years of imprisonment, for keeping and spread of drugs, will follow another American, arrested in Russia, Edmond Pope. They have much in common: they are both agents of US special services, both were detained by Russian law-enforcement agencies. Besides, Tobbin, like Pope, is going to appeal for pardon to the Russian President. For the time being it is unclear what arguments he is going to adduce. It will be recalled, that Pope succeeded in simulating cancer. As for Tobbin, he can, for example, simulate nervous exhaustion: it sometimes happens to drug-addicts. Sources in Russian special services have admitted to the PRAVDA.Ru journalist that there is no use of holding Tobbin in custody now. In concordance with criminal legislation, he should be in prison. But this is not a political trial, but a legal one. From the point of view of politics, detention of Tobbin has already worked out: the spy is already exposed, and his career is over. Therefore the political profit, gained by Russia from this trial, is evident. And legal procedure can be neglected.