RUSSIA/FILE: Supreme Court considers reduction of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's jail term

Record ID: 862292

  • Title: RUSSIA/FILE: Supreme Court considers reduction of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's jail term
  • Date: 6th August 2013
  • Summary: CHITA, RUSSIA (FILE - AUGUST 2008) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) COURTROOM FILES DOCUMENTS ON DESK VARIOUS OF KHODORKOVSKY IN CAGE MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - JANUARY 2009) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) KHODORKOVSKY LED FROM POLICE VAN INTO BUILDING KHODORKOVSKY LED INTO COURTROOM MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - MAY 2011) (REUTERS) KHODORKOVSKY IN GLASS CAGE SECURITY GUARD KHODORKOVSKY IN GLASS CAGE MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - APRIL 2005) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF YUKOS OIL COMPANY HEADQUARTERS YUGANSK, RUSSIA (FILE - AUGUST 2004) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF YUKOS OIL PUMPS OPERATING
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Crime,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA9INDPEJQ5XSRKQMX3WJ62NRFH
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: The Russian Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 6) began to hear an appeal of imprisoned tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's second trial which could reduce his sentence.
    Khodorkovsky, 50, Russia's richest man before he was jailed on tax evasion and fraud charges in 2003, is serving a sentence on two separate convictions which he says is punishment for his interest in politics. He is scheduled to be released in October 2014.
    Khodorkovsky was once the head of the Yukos oil company, which was broken up and sold off into state hands following his arrest.
    He appeared at the hearing via video link from a prison in the northwest Russian region of Karelia.
    His elderly parents came to court to hear proceedings, but held out little hope that their son's sentence would be reduced.
    "There were times I hoped on (then-president Dmitry) Medvedev. He brought the guys (Khodorkovsky and Yukos business partner Platon Lebedev) to Moscow, created the (human rights) council. And so what's left now? Everybody has run away from that council," the tycoon's 80-year-old father Boris Khodorkovsky told Reuters.
    Current Prime Minister and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he would only consider freeing former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky if he requested a pardon, a statement the oligarch's lawyers dismissed as a meaningless and spiteful ploy.
    Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was also in power as president from 2000-2008, has taken a tough line against Khodorkovsky, who was arrested after showing political ambitions and falling out with the Kremlin.
    Khodorkovsky has repeatedly denied the charges against him and refuses to ask for a pardon.
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