RUSSIA: COUNCIL OF EUROPE ENVOY SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER SAYS SHE WANTS TO MEET KEY DEFENDANTS IN YUKOS AFFAIR
Record ID:
646789
RUSSIA: COUNCIL OF EUROPE ENVOY SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER SAYS SHE WANTS TO MEET KEY DEFENDANTS IN YUKOS AFFAIR
- Title: RUSSIA: COUNCIL OF EUROPE ENVOY SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER SAYS SHE WANTS TO MEET KEY DEFENDANTS IN YUKOS AFFAIR
- Date: 24th May 2004
- Summary: (EU) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MAY 24, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. PLANE ON TARMAC 0.06 2. SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER, COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENTARY ENVOY, WALKING OUT OF AIRPORT 0.17 3. (SOUNDBITE)(English) SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER, COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENTARY ENVOY, SAYING, "I am interested in the situation in the detention facilities because I have to examine if there are any violations of European rights of central legal rights. That is my mandate and I will ask some questions." 0.40 4. SCU: REPORTER 0.44 5. (SOUNDBITE)(English) SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENTARY ENVOY, SAYING, "I want to meet the defendants - Khodorkovsky, Lebedev and Pichugin." 0.53 6. SABINE LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER GETTING INTO CAR 1.05 7. CAR LEAVING 1.18 (EU) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - 2003) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) 8. KHODORKOVSKY TAKEN FROM COURT BUILDING INTO WAITING CAR 1.26 9. PEOPLE HOLDING UP PLACARD WITH KHODORKOVSKY PICTURED ON IT 1.31 10. CAR LEAVING 1.48 DAY SHOTS 11. YUKOS BUILDING EXTERIOR SHOT 1.54 12. YUKOS SIGN CLOSE UP 1.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 8th June 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA6TCDJ312YSJX3Z0F20VJB9TZ7
- Story Text: Council of Europe envoy wants to meet key defendants
in YUKOS affair.
An envoy of the Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly's committee on human rights plans to visit former
senior executives of Russian oil major YUKOS, detained on
allegations of fraud and tax evasion.
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, a former German
justice minister, arrived in Moscow on Monday (May 24),
saying she intends to examine factors relating to the YUKOS
prosecutions.
Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, who will report back to
the Council of Europe, said she hoped to be able to talk to
three of the key defendants in the YUKOS affair - former
YUKOS chief Mikhail Khodorkovsky, major YUJKOS shareholder
Platon Lebedev, and Alexei Pichugin, head of YUKOS's
security department. All three men are in custody after
Russian prosecutors pressed charges of fraud and tax
evasion.
Lebedev's trial began on May 20, but was adjourned to
May 28.
The date for the trial of Russian oil magnate
Khodorkovsky on charges of tax evasion will be decided at a
hearing on May 28.
Khodorkovsky, Russia's richest man, faces up to 10
years in prison if convicted on charges relating to his
time as chief executive of oil major YUKOS.
Analysts believe the case has been pressed by the
Kremlin to curb Khodorkovsky's political ambitions.
Khodorkovsky is one of six major shareholders in YUKOS
- three others have fled Russia, one has been convicted of
tax evasion and the sixth, Platon Lebedev, faces trial on
similar charges to Khodorkovsky.
President Vladimir Putin, recently asked what signal
the prosecution of YUKOS shareholders might send to
Russians and Western investors, restated earlier comments
that prosecutors were merely upholding the law.
Khodorkovsky has been in jail since his October arrest
and his trial has become a test-case among some investors
and liberals who are sceptical that he will receive a fair
hearing. Russian tax authorities have launched a campaign
against alleged tax evasion among the country's major
energy firms.
YUKOS itself faces a $3.5 billion bill for back taxes.
Its erstwhile merger partner Sibneft SIBN.RTS>,
controlled by Chelsea football owner Roman Abramovich, has
been hit with a demand for $1.4 billion.
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