For freedom to return to Russia,
we must start believing in it ourselves.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky

When Khodorkovsky was arrested,
I determined at once that this is my case - a political case, a case related to the advocacy of human rights,
a law-forming case. This is a case concerning the crucial challenges of our society and our common survival - not physical, but human and intellectual. [...] The issue of the Khodorkovsky case will determine a further development of Russia.

Yury Shmidt,

lawyer, advocate of human rights

Petitions and documents

On Recognition of Russian Citizens
Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky and Platon L. Lebedev political prisoners
Appeal to Amnesty International (Feb. 22, 2005)

A Voice from St. Petersburg
Appeal to Amnesty International (Jan. 17, 2005)

Appeal for recognizing Russian citizens Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev as Political Prisoners (Aug. 4, 2004)

Propaganda use in the Yukos Case

Have you read this?

Mikhail Khodorkovsky:
IN HIS OWN WORDS...

Yukos Case Fuels Legal Fears
Interrogations, Arrests Spotlight Vulnerability of Defense Counsel
By GUY CHAZAN
Staff Reporter of
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

MOSCOW -- The Kremlin's assault on OAO Yukos has been widely viewed as an exceptional case, a result of the head-on collision between the oil giant's ambitious owner and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But legal experts say the measures taken by prosecutors and courts have exposed and exacerbated weaknesses that have long plagued Russia's judicial system -- in particular the vulnerability of defense lawyers representing enemies of the Kremlin.

Russia capital flight more than triples
January 13, 2005
Associated Press

MOSCOW -- Capital flight from Russia more than tripled last year compared with 2003, the Central Bank said Thursday.
In a statement on its Web site, the bank said capital flight rose to reaching $7.9 billion last year, up from $1.9 billion in 2003.

Crisis of Russia's Liberalism
March, 16, 2004
Vedomosti

In an open letter published by the business daily Vedomosti Mikhail Khodorkovsky contemplates the fate of Russia's liberals, its businessmen, authorities, and its people.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky
and Yukos:
Chelovek s rublyom
(Man with a Ruble)

   Free Svetlana Bakhmina !

Letter from the Sovest group to Yuri Kalinin,
FPS (Federal Penitentiary Service) Director

Petition of the Sovest group
in connection with the sentencing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev

Sovest lodges a protest in connection with the ‘sentence’ awarded to M. Khodorkovsky and P. Lebedev which was made public after days of mockery about the reading out of the verdict. As it is obvious now even to people who have nothing to do with this proceeding, there is no independent justice in Russia. This ‘sentence’ does not conform to the legal rules of a civilized state. Sovest continues its campaign aimed at overcoming officials’ arbitrariness and at ensuring the protection of M. Khodorkovsky’s and P. Lebedev’s rights. We insist on a reopening of the case and on an open trial by an independent court, which is sure to result in the release of these two innocently sentenced political prisoners. We are deeply grieved at this fact which will have strong effect on the reputation and image of Russia all over the world. We hold firm our belief in the triumph of justice.

May, 31, 2005

They are victims of the Yukos case

Alexey Pichugin

      (Алексей Пичугин)

Head of the Interior Economic Security Division of the Yukos Security Service

arrested

19 June 2003

Platon Lebedev

      (Платон Лебедев)

Chairman of the Board of Directors
of the “MENATEP” Group

arrested

2 July 2003

Mikhail Khodorkovsky

      (Михаил Ходорковский)

former CEO, shareholder

arrested

25 October 2003

Alexey Kurtsin

    (Алексей Курцин)

manager of "YUKOS - Moscow"

arrested

18  November 2004

Svetlana Bakhmina

        (Светлана Бахмина)

legal department employee

arrested

7  December 2004

Vladimir Malakhovsky

     (Владимир Малаховский)

CEO "Ratibor"

arrested

10 December 2004

Elena Agranovskaya

       (Елена Аграновская)

Lawyer, Law office "ALM Feldmans"

8 December 2004 was arrested

17 December 2004 was released

Anton Zakharov

      (Антон Захаров)

Chief of Human Resources department

16 December 2004

Vladimir Pereverzin

      (Владимир Переверзин)

arrested

18 December 2004

Alexander Ivannikov

      (Александр Иванников)

ZATO "Lesnoy"

Dmitry Velichko

(Дмитрий Величко)

president of "Rosinkor"

arrested

January 2005

The YUKOS case launched in the spring and summer of 2003 is still under consideration. The key events are as follows: the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the YUKOS CEO (on the 25th of October, 2003) and his partner Platon Lebedev (on the 2nd of July, 2003) and their conviction (on the 31st of May, 2005). And it was Aleksey Pichugin, the employee of the firm’s security service who was the first arrested in connection with the YUKOS case (on the 19th of June, 2003). On the 30th of March, 2005 he was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. The full list of the YUKOS’s shareholders and employees who have undergone the most severe pressing and persecution is really shocking.
As a background of the process while M. Khodorkovsky and P.Lebedev were on trial the collapse and shameless misappropriation of the “pieces” of the most promising and successful firm in the country were taking place. In fact YUKOS does not exist any longer. The YUKOS case has had an extremely negative effect on macroeconomical processes in the country and slowed-down the rate of economical development considerably. It also resulted in transferring capitals and stagnation in the securities market.

*    [email protected]

Sovest  ('conscience', 'integrity' in Russian),
an independent public group, was created Dec. 3, 2003,
to provide public support to the YUKOS shareholders and employees. Our principal purpose is to make the authorities respect civil rights of Mikhail Khodorkovsky
and other defendants in the YUKOS case.
The main goal of the group today is to use all legal means insisting that victims of the Yukos case be released from  incarceration, and to claim an impartial, open and fair trial.
The group is non-commercial and totally independent from any political or financial affiliations. All activities are conducted on a voluntary and gratuitous basis.

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