Speaking in a taped interview with Khodorkovsky.com to mark the upcoming tenth anniversary of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s arrest, Karin Woldseth MEP says that she and many others at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will continue to press Russia for his release.

“Russia isn’t perfect, but neither is Norway. But together we can learn from each other and influence each other positively,” Woldseth said, referring to Russia’s rightful place in the Council of Europe. “I am concerned about the standards of human rights and rule of law in Russia, and I do not hesitate to say so to my Russian colleagues.”

Woldseth, who leads the Norwegian delegation to PACE, also said that Khodorkovsky case represented an example of Russia’s shortcomings on human rights.

“The Khodorkovsky case is an iconic example of what has become a systematic problem,” Woldseth said. “A decade after his imprisonment, Mikhail Khodorkovsky remains the symbol of defiance and a victim of injustice.”

“This is unacceptable, particularly in a member state of the Council of Europe, and I and many others here at the Parliamentary Assembly will continue to speak out against your ongoing persecution and in favour of your freedom,” she said.

Watch the full video statement from Woldseth MEP here.