Speaking in an exclusive taped interview with Khodorkovsky.com, German MP Marieluise Beck has commented on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the arrest of political prisoner Mikhail Khodorkovsky, describing him as a “symbol” of someone with a “clear conscience” willing to stand up to a repressive Russian government.

Beck goes on to comment that she believes Khodorkovsky has changed over the past decade in prison, from a wealthy businessman to a person who understands that “a prosperous society needs good education, free people, and young people who believe in their future.”

The Bundestag member, who also sits on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), also criticised large Western companies, like ExxonMobil, which have gone into deals with state-owned firms like Rosneft, despite the knowledge that assets were obtained from Yukos under questionable circumstances.

Watch the full video interview below: