Statement by Mikhail Khodorkovsky on the decision of the Dublin District Court to grant his Section 19 application to unfreeze assets in an investment fund, worth in excess of $100 million, of which Mr Khodorkovsky is a beneficiary
Wednesday, 7th December 2016: Mikhail Khodorkovsky today welcomed the decision of the Dublin District Court to grant his Section 19 application under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 to unfreeze assets in an investment fund, worth in excess of $100 million, of which Mr Khodorkovsky is a beneficiary. Mr Khodorkovsky further welcomed the Judge outlining in his decision that the monies invested in Ireland are not the proceeds of criminal activity.
Mr Khodorkovsky has indicated he will use some of the funds to support the work of the Open Russia movement, which he founded in 2014. He spent over 10 years in jail (2003-2013) on politically motivated charges. In May 2011, he was declared a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International.
The Open Russia organisation advocates an alternative vision for his country: a strong and just state, committed to observing human rights, free and fair elections and the rule of law.
Stop Press
Mikhail Khodorkovsky has commented on the decision in a tweet:
Background
During the four-day hearing on Mr Khodorkovsky’s Section 19 application under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, which ran from Monday, November 21st to Thursday, November 24th, Judge Timothy Lucey made the following comments:
Tuesday, 22nd November: The replying affidavit by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation to Mr Khodorkovsky’s affidavit had been a “one pager.”
Wednesday, 23rd November: Regarding the volumes of information provided by Mr Khodorkovsky to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, Judge Lucey stated the situation was “very troubling.”
“There is an incredible amount of documentation being given over and it’s never enough. I don’t know how an ordinary citizen can take the hand of the garda off them if this is the case.”
Wednesday, 23rd November: Regarding what is contained in Garda applications to the courts, Judge Lucey stated the Garda should be careful, “People have been murdered and it has been politically motivated. So we should be very careful about what we say about people and what we put into any application as an add-on to boost our side. We are dealing with people’s lives.”
Wednesday, 23rd November: “The freezing orders were the result of 10-minute ex-parte applications to the District Court. It could not have been the intention of the Oireachtas that the law would be used to freeze €100 million for 5.5 years.”
For more information please contact Open Russia at info@khodorkovsky.com
