Mikhail Khodorkovsky has spoken out on last week’s ruling by Moscow City Court, which, while reducing his sentence by two years, failed entirely to address the spurious charges and the abuse of the rule of law inherent in the case. He described the court as practicing “ostrich politics”, burying its head in the sand in the face of a glaring and ongoing injustice. He also offered a reminder of the absurdity of the charges against him, noting that, “there is no theft that profits victims” and that “no taxes can be demanded from what is seriously considered as stolen.”

Khodorkovsky’s full statement as follows:

“I think that just a reduction of the sentence is ostrich politics for the court, the verdict of which is laughed at by many educated people in Russia and the World. The accusation of stealing all Yukos’ oil has become a usual example of stupidity.

No demagoguery can hide the obvious facts:

-there is no theft that profits victims;

-no taxes can be demanded from what is seriously considered as stolen.

It is a shame that the already imperfect reputation of Moscow’s courts continues to be undermined.

I want to believe that the Supreme Court of Russia will find a more decent decision“