Zhirinovsky to File Libel Case in Plagiarism Affair

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: February 20, 2013 (Issue # 1747)

MOSCOW — Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky on Wednesday will ask Russia’s top investigator, Alexander Bastrykin, to open a criminal case against State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomaryov on libel charges for Ponomaryov’s allegation that Zhirinovsky plagiarized his Ph.D. dissertation.

On Monday, A Just Russia deputy Ponomaryov appealed to Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to strip Zhirinovsky of his Duma seat, citing media reports that accused Zhirinovsky of plagiarizing and falsifying his dissertation, titled “The Future, the Present and the Past of the Russian Nation.” The dissertation earned him his Ph.D. degree in 1998.

If the media reports are confirmed, the State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles would be obliged to strip Zhirinovsky of his degree. Zhirinovsky intends to appeal to Bastrykin when the latter speaks to the Duma on Wednesday, Itar-Tass reported Tuesday.

Zhirinovsky denied that his dissertation was plagiarized or falsified, saying the “hundreds of thousands of pages” written by him and available online prove his innocence.

“What I have said and written would be enough for hundreds of dissertations, and to become an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences twice,” the blusterous leader said in comments carried by Itar-Tass.

Zhirinovsky faces up to two years in prison if charged and convicted of fraud, among other charges, while Ponomaryov faces up to 480 hours of public service or a 5 million ruble ($166,000) fine if he is found guilty of libel.