The eminent professors wrote the letter in the light of a number of high profile cases with political implications. The letter said: '.. We feel we have the right to state that…the constitutional system of the country is under threat. The basic provisions of the Constitution and, above all, the constitutional definition of Russia as a law-governed state, have become, essentially, an empty declaration.'

Russian courts under fire

No examples are given but the letter came soon after the five-year sentence handed down to blogger Alexei Navalny, seen by some as a powerful voice of opposition to President Putin. The letter, of which extracts are published in the Christian Science Monitor, goes on to attack the role of Russian courts for 'handing down biased and often patently unjust convictions on the basis of one-sided, and even falsified evidence'. The letter raises concerns that Russian law enforcement agencies "cynically violate constitutional and other legal provisions, including by fabricating criminal...cases against those who criticize the authorities," and claims that 'Law in its true sense is disappearing before our eyes...because one of its most unshakable foundations -the equality of all before the law and the courts-is being violated.'