10 video interviews with those affected by the ‘Yukos Affair’.

Georgy Alexanyan on his son Vasily Alexanyan

Vasily Alexanyan was a Yukos lawyer, who died after being abused and mistreated by the Russian authorities in pre-trial detention.

“What happened to us, I wouldn’t wish to happen to anyone, not even to my enemy.”

Natalia Vasyleva on Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Natalia Vasyleva, is a former judge’s assistant and the press officer of the Khamovnichesky District Court in Moscow, where Khodorkovsky’s second verdict was handed down. In February 2011, the Russian newspaper Gazeta.ru published an interview with Vasyleva, where she exposed the pressures put on the judge by the state, and characterised the Yukos case as “politically motivated”.

“I couldn’t understand how a person can be judged twice for nothing, how a person can serve such a colossal prison term for nothing, how can such exorbitant stupidities, that made people laugh, be said at all (I mean what was said by the court and judicial system). And how, based on all that, can the sentence be handed down. This is incomprehensible.”

Yelena Barikhnovskaya on her husband Yuri Schmidt

Yuri Schmidt was one of Russia’s legendary human right lawyers and a former member of Khodorkovsky’s defence team. Schmidt died on January 12, 2013.

“[The Khodorkovsky case] is a matter of utmost importance for all of us living in Russia. The result of this case determines the country we live in. Yuri Markovich knew it right away, before others, and well before joining the case.”

Alexey Kurtsin on Yukos

Alexey Kurtsin, a former Yukos executive, was released on parole after serving almost 8 years in prison.

“Yukos will always remain in history, and there will even be some situations when Yukos will emerge in the historical context. I am sure of it.”

Alexey Kondaurov on Alexey Pichugin

Alexey Konduarov is a Russian Duma Deputy and a former Yukos manager.

“Charges against Pichugin are absurdity. From my professional point of view, the charges just shock you with absurdity and irrationality.”

Vera Chelishcheva on Natalia Vasyleva

Vera Chelishcheva is a journalist and a long-time supporter of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

“I understand that she [Vasyleva] could not have acted in any other way. Because she is a fair person, as clichéd as it may sound.”

Vladimir Malakhovsky on Antonio Valdes Garcia

Vladimir Malakhovsky is the former CEO of a number of Yukos subsidiaries. Malakhovsky was released in October 2012 after serving over 7 years in prison. Here he talks about another Yukos victim – Antonio Valdes Garcia, the former director of the Yukos trading company, Fargoil.

“Valdes was well aware that the law that governs all over the world is not valid in Russia. He also knew that they could easily change his status from witness to the status of the accused.”

Svetlana Bakhmina on Alexey Kurtsin

Svetlana Bakhmina is a former Yukos legal executive; pregnant at the time, she was improperly arrested and imprisoned in 2004. Bakhmina was released in 2009 after serving out her full sentence.

“Despite the fact that at that time we were working in difficult circumstances –  the company was subjected to quite frequent searches, Alexey was able to maintain stability in work and in management. All in all, he was such a peaceful ‘oasis’ in the company.”

Vladimir Pereverzin on Vladimir Malakhovsky

Vladimir Pereverzin is a former senior Yukos manager; he was imprisoned for over 7 years for his refusal to testify against Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. Pereverzin was released in February 2012 and began writing his autobiographical book ‘Hostage. The Story of a Yukos Manager’. The book was published in August 2013.

“I met Vladimir Malakhovsky only in the courtroom. He is a smart, humble and courageous man. He was by my side for about a year. I admire the courage with which he stood through this whole process. This process cannot be called a trial, it is just a circus.”

Vera Vasyleva on Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s public support

Vera Vasyleva is a journalist and a long-time supporter of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

“What happened in the Meshchansky court – it was an indicator of the state of the judicial system. Unfair system of justice and unfair trials – it all can be applied to absolutely anyone.”