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Supreme Court annuls 2003 arrest of former Yukos executive
Published: 23 December, 2009, 20:51
Edited: 24 December, 2009, 23:31
TAGS: Crime, Russia, Human rights, Law
Russia's Supreme Court has ruled that the 2003 arrest of former Yukos executive Platon Lebedev was illegal on procedural grounds and must be annulled. The decision will have no impact on his imprisonment, however.
It follows a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which found that his rights had been violated during the arrest.
Platon Lebedev was sentenced to eight years in jail after being found guilty of tax evasion and fraud in 2005, along with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, ex-head of the now bankrupt Russian oil giant Yukos.
In 2007, the authorities filed a new lawsuit against the two, bringing fresh charges of embezzlement and money laundering.
If found guilty, Lebedev and Khodorkovsky could face an additional sentence of up to 22 years.
RT's political commentator and host of CrossTalk programme Peter Lavelle says the mistake during the arrest and the actual trial and imprisonment are two different things.
“You have to remember that under Russian law if you are getting some kind of a medical treatment – you cannot be arrested. But Lebedev was a huge risk. We have to remember that he is not the nicest guy in the world. Very serious crimes were committed around him, even murder,” reminds Lavelle.
Peter Lavelle also pointed out that the Western media is wrong in waving the “flag of Yukos” in its criticism of Russia.
“This case is very much important in Russia. The Yukos affair was very important in showing that business cannot run this country. The people and government do.”
23.12.2009, 20:35
2 comments
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Why do they need to stay in jail any longer? They have lost everything to the government. Keeping them in jail is the only way to control them. Is it illegal? who knows, but my bet is they will be convicted again of the same exact crime. "Double Jeopardy" If the state can keep them in jail till they die, it gets to keep it all, and the problem of the 300 to 600 billion dollar ruling against the government can be used as a bargaining tool. Either these two guys will die in prison, or they will survive long enough for the EU high court to seize 300 to 600 billion dollars worth of Russian assets all over the world and be out of jail. Who will have the last victory on this one?
It is will be shame if Russia yields to Western pressure and go easy on those who brought ruination to the nation. I say keep pressing until you recover the wealth these thieves looted by wicked measn. Make no mistake. The oligarchs are not done- they want to get what is left of Russian natural resources!
Stephanie R, there are widely documented evidence that the mass looting of Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union had strong connection with western nations, banks, corporations and institutions. Russia should keep on the hunt and keep following the trails of money transfer and recover the lost wealth of the nation. Also these looters and their western backers still have burning desire to regain their lost powers and would restart their looting spree if Russia's political leadership weavers or bow down to western hypocritical false tears for these looters.