Sakharov Must Stay in Country, Gorbachev Says

MOSCOW —  Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev said Friday that dissident physicist Andrei D. Sakharov, exiled for six years in the city of Gorky, cannot leave the Soviet Union because he knows state secrets of special importance.

While Gorbachev did not explain what secrets Sakharov possesses, the physicist did work on development of the Soviet hydrogen bomb in the early 1950s.

Gorbachev said Sakharov, 64, is “in normal health,” conducting research and living in “normal conditions” in Gorky, a city off limits to foreigners.

The Soviet leader made the statements in a wide-ranging interview with the French Communist newspaper L’Humanite. They were reported by the official news agency Tass.

It was the first time that Gorbachev has publicly referred to Sakharov by name and accused the human rights activist of being a criminal.

The remarks came amid increasing pressure from the West for the release of Sakharov, whose health is believed to have deteriorated since he was exiled to Gorky six years ago.

President Reagan has ordered U.S. officials to begin negotiations for Sakharov’s release, according to a report in the West German newspaper Bild, which first disclosed plans for a major East-West spy swap to take place on Tuesday. Washington had sought to have Sakharov included in the swap but the Kremlin refused. There was no confirmation of Bild’s report on Sakharov.

“Speaking about Andrei Sakharov, Mikhail Gorbachev said that actions punishable by law were committed by him,” the Tass report said.

“The press reported them on more than one occasion,” Tass said of Sakharov’s actions, and “measures were taken with regard to him (Sakharov) in accordance with our legislation.” Critics contend that Sakharov was banished to Gorky without a trial and is detained there because of his human rights activities.