List of Khodorkovsky

The sentence of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev may adversely affect the partnership between Russia and the West.
Topic of the new sentencing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev, was yesterday one of the principal on the first in the new year meeting of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights. By this time the key estimates in the West have already been made.

In essence, this meant a warning from the EU: in the absence of an independent judiciary in Russia strategic partnership with it is impossible to.

Concern about reports of irregularities during the trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev, a representative of the U.S. State Department expressed Mark Toner. And the American media have extended comment unnamed senior administration of U.S. President, which stated that the severe sentence of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev will complicate the process of Russia joining the WTO.

So, yesterday's opening session of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights, its head, a deputy from the party 'Green' Heidi Hautala (Finland) sadly noted that, while MEPs were celebrating and resting, human rights were trampled in the world's most woefully. Most of his speech was dedicated to criticism of the sentence in the second case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. The decision of the court Ms Hautala Hamovnicheskogo called ' failure of the Russian judicial system, billing modernization program of President Medvedev to ridicule '. ' The Russian judicial system and courts pocket easily render a guilty verdict in the case of Khodorkovsky. Talk about the modernization of the country with such a politicized judiciary, openly despising the rule of law, not credible ...

She gave the floor to one of the lawyers of former YUKOS managers Mary Logan. She read excerpts from the MEP of the last statements of the defendants at trial and explained that such a ' first law Churov ( CEC Vladimir Churov. - ' B' ) ':' Putin is always right. If Putin is wrong, then you realize something is wrong '. MPs laughed for a long time.

Meanwhile, a verbal condemnation of Russia MEP was not enough. The group of parliamentarians, headed by a representative of the Party of Liberal Democrats Christine Ojuland (Estonia) urged his colleagues to consider the possibility of introducing a visa and economic sanctions against Russian officials involved in the imposition of unjust and politically motivated, in their opinion, the sentencing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. ' Mrs. Ojuland has to impose sanctions on several Russian officials and politicians involved in the persecution of Yukos executives, as it has recently been approved by the European Parliament in the case of Magnitsky - said the ' b ' deputy press secretary Joel Hirv. - The verdict in the second case against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev was accompanied by significant violations of law and human rights. Sanctions - the only way to make the Russian authorities to comply with the rule of law. Representatives of the European Parliament and other European institutions have long tried to convince their Russian counterparts in words, but through these discussions were going nowhere '.

Ms. Ojuland itself yesterday was unavailable for comments, therefore, to clarify exactly who she would like to see ' list Khodorkovsky ', ' b' could not be. Recall that it was Kristina Ojuland was one of the most active supporters of the European Parliament's adoption of the amendments on the introduction of visa and economic sanctions against Russian officials associated with the case of an auditor of Hermitage Capital Magnitsky (see. ' B' on December 17, 2010 ). ' I demand that Russian officials be punished, not because I do not like Russia - I have a very Russian roots - but only because I think: Russian citizens deserve better. They, as well as Europeans, should have the right to live in a country where human rights are respected and the law is equal for all ' - explained when Ms. Ojuland ' b '.

Her call for the imposition of sanctions in the case of Khodorkovsky today is actively supported by the representatives of other European parties. ' The second sentence in the Yukos case followed the death of Magnitsky and murder of Anna Politkovskaya. If nothing is done, the victim will be the following. Time of quiet diplomacy towards Russia has passed, it's time to take action ... ' Legal Nihilism in Russia is gaining strength. President Medvedev spoke about the modernization and promised change, but the situation only gets worse ... As a result, members of the subcommittee agreed to bring the issue of European reaction to the verdict in the Yukos case in the plenary session, which opens next week.

In Russia, all the accusations about the sentencing of former Yukos executives strongly deny. Even at the end of last year, critics of the Russian Foreign Ministry said: ' In the case of Khodorkovsky and Lebedev talking about serious allegations of tax evasion and the laundering of proceeds of crime. In any country of such offenses are punishable. In the U.S., by the way, for they give life sentences in prison. Judgments about a selective application of justice in Russia are groundless '.

... - Not even to the end that all the legal procedures - only the lawyers filed an appeal - and European and American politicians have to make judgments that the system does not work. This is a game of one wicket. Improving our judicial system - the case of our country '. The MP suggested that the ' policy in the U.S. and Europe is so interested in the Khodorkovsky case because he signed the richest in Russia, which has been and probably still have money for this kind of PR campaign '. ...

Elena Chernenko.




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