Harvard scholar charged with smuggling frog embryos into US
Ksenia Petrov, a Russian scholar from Harvard, has been accused of attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the United States. The case is causing controversy, and her lawyer claims that the charges are baseless.
Key information
- Ksenia Petrov, a researcher from Harvard, is accused of smuggling frog embryos.
- She was detained at Boston Airport after returning from Paris.
- Petrov’s lawyer questions the validity of the charges and the timing of her transfer to detention.
Ksenia Petrov, a Russian scholar working at Harvard University, was detained at Boston's Logan International Airport upon her return from Paris. Three months after her detention, she was formally charged with attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the United States. The 31-year-old was transferred from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention to a correctional facility in Louisiana. Preliminary proceedings in her criminal case are set to begin on Thursday.
Petrov claims that the Trump administration is detaining her unlawfully. Her lawyer, Gregory Romanovsky, described the case as "baseless." He also questioned the timing of Petrov's transfer to criminal detention, which occurred after a bail hearing was scheduled.
There is no corresponding ground of inadmissibility. You cannot be found inadmissible because of the customs violation, stated Romanovsky.
Concerns about deportation
Before the criminal case emerged, the US government signaled an intention to deport Petrov to Russia. She fears returning to her country, especially after protests against Russian aggression in Ukraine. Her representative emphasizes that the charges are intended to portray Petrov as a criminal and justify actions leading to her deportation.
According to federal prosecutors, Petrov was detained after biological materials were discovered in her carry-on luggage. Regulations require declaration and special permission for their import into the USA. Petrov claims that her supervisor asked her to bring the samples for research purposes.
The preliminary proceedings in Petrov’s criminal case are set to begin on Thursday. Her future in the USA remains uncertain, and the case is causing much controversy in both the scientific and political communities.
