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  Hon. Todd Akin
  117 Cannon House Office Bldg.
  Washington, D.C. 20515

  (202) 225-2561
  (202) 225-2563 (fax)


  St. Louis Office
  301 Sovereign Court, Suite 201
  St. Louis, MO. 63011

  (314)-590-0029
  (314)-590-0037 (fax)


  St. Charles Office
  820 S. Main, Suite 206
  St. Charles, MO. 63301

  (636)-949-6826
  (636)-949-3832 (fax)

Akin Helps UMSL Graduate Student Avoid Russian Jail

Through correspondence with the Russian embassy and helping to bring international media attention to the case, Congressman Todd Akin helped secure the release of an UMSL PhD researcher from Russian custody.

On September fifth, UMSL PhD physics student and researcher, Roxana Contreras arrived at Lambert Field St. Louis. She was greeted by friends and fellow researchers and scientists after having been detained in Russia for over two months by Russian authorities on trumped up charges.

The UMSL student was facing seven years in a Russian prison for the purchase of approximately $30 worth of old Soviet currency and World War Two era medals. The Russian Government had claimed that the purchase from a street vendor was in violation of their anti-smuggling laws.

Prior to her visit to Russia, Ms. Contreras had traveled with Dr. Bahar to a conference entitled “From Complex Systems Theory to Clinical Neurology” at the Max Planck Institute for Complex Systems in Dresden, Germany, where she presented some of her research in treatment of traumatic brain injury. Her research is part of a collaborative project between UMSL and researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, in New York City.

Congressman Akin had written two letters to Russian Ambassador Yuri V. Ushakov urging the student’s release. Congressman Akin’s office did interviews with the New York Times, Chilean TV and numerous international news services. Attention was further focused on the case with coverage in Russia’s Pravda and Moscow Times. Roxana and her attorneys attributed her release in large part to the media attention that came to highlight the story on the international stage.

“I am very grateful to Congressman Akin for support of Roxanna throughout this nightmare,” said Dr. Sonya Bahar, Roxana’s PhD thesis advisor.

UMSL Student Freed