The World - News from July 10, 1987

Soviet authorities barred the public and even the state-controlled media from the trial of six officials charged with safety violations at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Radio Moscow said. The trial’s opening session was attended by Western and Soviet reporters and relatives of the defendants, but the remainder will apparently be conducted behind closed doors until the verdicts and possible sentencing are announced on the final day. No reason was given for closing the trial, but diplomats speculated that authorities fear testimony may reveal the poor safety record of the Soviet nuclear power industry and other accidents or near-accidents that have not been disclosed.