Marina Philippovna Khodorkovskaya Comments on today’s Supreme Court’s Decision:

I did not expect anything. These are not judges, these are newscasters in black robes articulating what they were told from above, what they got from the printer. They do not have their own opinion, and if they do, they hide it very deeply.

Are you happy that the sentence got reduced at least by two months?

Well, better a small fish than an empty dish.

Now when the decision was being announced you were looking at the screen, at your son. Did you see, did you understand his reaction?

He understands everything. Do you think he has hopes? He knows everything as well as I do.

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Boris Moiseyevich Khodorkovsky:

I thought that decision (the verdict) would be repealed. But it was not. I had hopes. The hope has died.

What do those two months mean for you?

Every day counts. I’m grateful, of course. But the idea was for this decision to be found unjust. Because they were convicted for nothing in the first case. And for nothing in the second case. And then all the countries outside Russia acknowledged [the unjustness of the verdict], even the commission created by Medvedev acknowledged that. Just think about it guys, ten years. Ten years! For nothing.

Such a reduction of the sentence, is it mockery for you?

It is not mockery, I feel sorry for my country. Are we worse than others? If a decision is unjust, say this in court. I expected a clear answer. Whether it is just or unjust that they were convicted for allegedly having stolen oil from themselves. Then it would be clear. And as it is, the person has been put in jail unclear for what. I’m absolutely convinced that they did not steal any money. The lads are not guilty.

What do you think about a possible third case?

I can’t say anything about the third case, but I think that it is the bathos of stupidity to think up something else after 10 years. Although in our country it is possible.

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