Khodorkovsky & Lebedev Communications Center

The European Court on Human Rights said that former Moscow judge Olga Kudeshkina had been wrongly dismissed after complaining of constant pressure on the city's judiciary and ordered the Russian government to pay her $12,700.

Of the decision Kudeshkina said: "I hope the decision will become a step toward the independence of Russian judges." Kudeshkina was dismissed in 2004 after publicly complaining of facing pressure from superiors in the case of Interior Ministry investigator Pavel Zaitsev, who headed a fraud probe connected to the Tri Kita furniture store.

Karina Moskalenko, Kudeshkina's lawyer in the court, said: "And we will be even pleased about an appeal."