French Human Rights Ambassador François Zimeray Visits the Trial
François Zimeray, France's Human Rights Ambassador, visited the Khodorkovsky-Lebedev trial during his two-day visit to Moscow. Zimeray discussed Khodorkovsky's case three times with the French and international media.
Zimeray said that he visited the trial at the request of French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and with the approval of President Nicolas Sarkozy. He said that his visit was "a message in itself."
Zimeray emphasized that the case, which he believes has become a major human rights trial, "is closely followed by the highest authorities in France." He said: "The fight of Khodorkovsky, courageous, with a great dignity, against a system that tries without success to destroy him, made him become a symbol, an icon of human rights in Russia."
The Ambassador said that Khodorkovsky's fight is not only for himself but goes far beyond him, and explains a lot about the state of law and human rights in Russia.
Specifically commenting on the facts of the trial, Zimeray said: "It seems odd that Khodorkovsky could be sentenced twice on facts which look the same, or even contradictory, as it is forbidden by the main principles of law." He questioned how the rights of the defense can be respected "when the charges seem to be so unclear, moving, not understood: the defense does not even know what the precise charges are."
Zimeray stressed that the trial is making history. He said: "History might judge this trial with severity. A day, truth will come...What we see here is a system that tries to destroy a man, but it could also destroy a judge." He added: "There is now a great risk, but also a great opportunity for the Russian justice to prove its independence. It should be taken."
Speaking to French state channel TV5-Monde upon his return, Zimeray added:
"What is clear is that this trial will say alot about the evolution of Russia. This trial is truly symbolic. The fact that the Minister (of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner) asked me to go to the trial is a gesture which also carries a symbolic message in itself. The Medvedev generation is something different from Vladimir Putin. It is creating political perspectives which are are not exactly the same as the prior ones."
Zimeray was also interviewed by radio station RFI, and again commented on the Khodorkovsky-Lebedev trial (listen to the full interview in Russian):
RFI: You have just returned from Russia; what can you say about today's situation with human rights?
François Zimeray: There is much that still remains to be done in this area. There has been movement too, of course; there are people in Russia who want for the situation to improve, and there are such people in the bodies of power as well. But on the other hand, there exist many obstacles, a certain resistance to the creation of a rule-of-law state, particularly in the legal/judicial system. The work of human rights advocates in Russia is very complex. They are truly taking risks in order to protect the minimal rights of the citizens: freedom of expression, freedom of conscience. I speak also about the human rights advocates who are defending people with different political views, and about the associations defending the interests of sexual minorities, who are subjected to discrimination. This often leads to violence. The situation is rather gloomy.
RFI: What was the purpose of your visit to Moscow?
François Zimeray: I came in order to support human rights advocates, with whom we met in the French Embassy in Moscow, a place that has become truly a house of human rights, as Bernard Kouchner has wanted it to be. I also was at the trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. For us this was very important. We tried to understand what they are accusing this person of, this person who is trying not to break despite everything. And to understand those who are judging him. I was amazed that when he was trying to respond to the charges addressed at him, neither the prosecutor nor the judge were particularly listening to him. This left an odd impression on me. But these are only my impressions. I also met with the daughter of Anna Politkovskaya, in order to find out about the course of the investigation, which, has not moved forward particularly. Also, within the framework of the Year of Russia in France and of France in Russia, we organised a seminar on the subject of prisoners' rights, both in Russia and in France; we need to exchange experience with respect to this question.
RFI: This is the first time that an official representative of France has attended a court session in the Mikhail Khodorkovsky case. What does France want to say with this gesture?
François Zimeray: This is indeed a premiere. This says that the French authorities are watching the course of the trial at the very highest level. There are many in France who consider that this trial vividly illustrates the situation with human rights in Russia.
RFI: In recent times, French observers and journalists have been saying that France is no longer interested in the situation with human rights in Russia; she has chosen Realpolitik relative to Russia. What do you think about this?
François Zimeray: The fact that I have come to Moscow, the fact that I was at the trial, refutes this senseless criticism. We are actively working in the area of human rights in Russia. We consider that public criticism is not the most effective way to improve the situation. And, by the way, the real human rights advocates in Russia are not asking us to do this; they know that the situation needs to be changed in another way. We do support them, and we have never refused to discuss the problem of human rights with the Russian authorities. And if we are not doing this publicly, and are not shouting about this, that does not mean we are not doing it at all. We are working actively, and are working in substance and to the point. You know, when we work with a prison administration with respect to the question of the rights of underage prisoners, this is much more effective than making loud declarations from Paris.