MEPs Send Urgent Letter to President Medvedev Explicitly Denouncing Khodorkovsky Trial
More than 100 MEPs have complained to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev about the shortcomings of the rule of law and abuses of human rights in Russia.
In a letter to Medvedev, the MEPs wrote that recent developments "raise grave concerns about the partner with which we seek to forge closer ties." The MEPs explicitly denounced the second trial against Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the murders of human rights activists, stating that Russia must make "real progress" regarding human rights, fighting corruption and property rights.
They wrote: "We have observed worrisome trends in Russia that lead to fears about the sanctity of human rights and private property rights, and the independence of the judiciary." The letter is likely to cause "diversionary shots" during the EU-Russia Summit in Stockholm on November 17.
The letter was signed mainly by MEPs from the green and conservatives groups in the European Parliament, as well as some liberals.