Posted on May 24, 2011 - by Venik
Jailed Russian billionaire scorns court hearing appeal
Mikhail Khodorkovsky rails against the ‘venomous Stalinist spider’ behind his original conviction
The jailed oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky has scorned a Moscow court as it was hearing his appeal of a second conviction that will keep him in prison until 2017.
Khodorkovsky, who was convicted in December of stealing oil from his own company and laundering the proceeds, said on Tuesday that a “venomous Stalinist spider” was behind the verdict.
It was a bold attack against the very system that is deciding his fate. The assistant of the judge who handed down the conviction in the lower court later claimed the verdict had actually been written by judges at the Moscow city court, which is hearing the appeal.
“From which dusty basement did they dig out the venomous Stalinist spider who wrote that gibberish?” Khodorkovsky asked, visibly agitated.
December’s ruling drew international condemnation of Russia’s judicial system. Khodorkovsky was seen as a political threat to Vladimir Putin, who was president in 2003, when the billionaire was arrested, and remains a powerful leader now as prime minister.
The Moscow city court began hearing Khodorkovsky’s appeal on Tuesday and was expected to deliver its ruling on the same day. The 47-year-old is already serving an eight-year term on similar charges.
Khodorkovsky told the court rejecting the appeal would amount to a crime.
“You have to either stop this shame … or join the criminals that spit on the law,” he said.
President Dmitry Medvedev succeeded Putin in 2008 on promises to strengthen the rule of law.
“The president is going to have to make a choice,” Khodorkovsky said. “What does he, Russia, need more: the rule of law or the opportunity for illegal reprisals?”
Popularity: unranked [?]
Related posts:
- Russian court finds Mikhail Khodorkovsky guilty
- Russian court delays verdict on oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky
- Mother of jailed Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky calls for UK help
- Day of judgment for Vladimir Putin’s billionaire rival
- Day of judgment for Vladimir Putin’s billionaire rival Mikhail Khodorkovsky
