Khodorkovsky Lawyers Accuse Kremlin of Playing a “Game”
Following an announcement by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday that he would not pardon Mikhail Khodorkovsky unless he filed a petition for one, Khodorkovsky’s lawyers believe that the Kremlin seeks to publicly humiliate their client by encouraging him to file a petition for a pardon that they will never grant him reports Alexei Anishchuk of Reuters.
One of Khodorkovsky’s lawyers, Karina Moskalenko, said “What do they want? To humiliate him and then not grant a pardon? If such a petition were the only obstacle, we would have discussed that with Mikhail Borisovich (Khodorkovsky) long ago.”
Another of Khodorkovsky’s lawyers, Yuri Shmidt, compared Kremlin leaders to “card sharps” toying with Khodorkovsky. Though Kremlin insiders say Medvedev holds no personal grudge against Khodorkovsky, “Everyone knows that he [Medvedev] cannot do anything without Putin,” according to Schmidt.
Ekho Moskvy radio heard from prominent lawyer Genri Reznik that “Pardoning Khodorkovsky would mean admitting his conviction was unjust, in the second trial at least, and the authorities do not want to admit that.”
