The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), today handed down judgment in the case of alleged Russian spy, Ekaterina Zatuliveter. In a lengthy open judgment the Commission decisively rejected the Secretary of State’s case that Miss Zatuliveter should be deported on national security grounds, holding that “at least on the balance of probabilities, she was and is not a Russian agent.” The Commission did not reach this conclusion by a narrow margin although it admitted that it could not exclude the possibility that it had been "gulled".
SIAC expressly rejected criticisms of the way the investigation had been conducted saying "there were ample grounds for suspicion. The fact that they have been substantially dispelled does not mean that they were not reasonably held and properly advanced."
Instructed by Tessa Gregory of Public Interest Lawyers, Miss Zatuliveter has from the commencement of the case against her been represented by Matrix barristers, Tim Owen QC, Samantha Knights and Helen Law. Jonathan Glasson appeared for the Secretary of State.
Full judgment below.