Russia's Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) has banned from circulation a scientific paper published in The Journal of Organic Chemistry by scholars from Hungary's Academy of Sciences, an online group aimed at promoting freedom of information reported.
The paper, "Enantioefficient Synthesis of r-Ergocryptine: First Direct Synthesis of (+) — Lysergic Acid" was published in 2004, and was available online as a PDF, but FSKN blocked the website from access in the country, Roscomsvoboda said in a statement Thursday.
The article discusses synthesis of lysergic acid, which is widely used to manufacture pharmaceuticals, as well as the psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD.
"Russia has banned from circulation an official scientific work in the English language by a research institute of a foreign Academy of Sciences," Roscomsvoboda said in a statement.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
