US Security and Cooperation in Europe Commissioners call for a "Just Conclusion" to the Khodorkovsky-Lebedev Trial
Leading members of the US Congress Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe called for Russia to reverse course and use the trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky to signal real interest in restoring the rule of law, after a briefing entitled: "Legal Hooliganism - Is the Yukos show trial finally over?"
"It's time for action to follow the good words we've all heard from President Medvedev about the rule of law," Co-Chairman Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) said. "A just conclusion to this case would remove a persistent irritant to Russia's relations with democratic countries. I remain optimistic and hope the Russian authorities choose justice over political vendettas.
Commissioners heard from Vadim Klyuvgant, Khodorkovsky's lead defense attorney, who laid out the laundry list of procedural violations in his client's case. The Commission briefing was hosted in cooperation with Freedom House.
In a summary entitled "Justice Under Pressure" about the case, Khodorkovsky's defense team said the judge has been "willfully blind to the many violations that have contaminated the process from the investigatory stage to the ongoing trial. Wrongly asserting that it is not within his purview to do so, the judge has failed to exercise his authority to cure even the most egregious flaws pointed out by the defense."
Klyuvgant said: "There is a false accusation with false proofs, which are a result of felicitations, non-disclosure and distortion of facts. The methods used to implement the so-called proof are threats, blackmail, tortures, pressure on lawyers, accountants, auditors with the aim to get false evidence." The lawyer called for the international community to pay close attention to the case of Khodorkovsky, as he believes this case is not an internal matter of Russia.
Commission Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) said: "While this case is not new, it remains an important indicator of the shifting fortunes and influence of various Kremlin factions. Mayor Luzhkov's abrupt dismissal this week in Moscow similarly underscores just how fast things can change in today's Russia and how the rule of law and the free market take a backseat to political whims."
Commissioner Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) said: "It is very important that Mikhail Khodorkovsky get a fair trial in Russia. This is an opportunity for Russia to show the world that they are serious about promoting free speech and human rights. Peaceful demonstration and political disagreement must always be allowed in order for healthy public debate to occur in a free nation."
Commissioner Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) added: "This case, for Russians and the international community, is emblematic of crony capitalism and a failure to ensure the rule of law in Russia."
