Newsletter November 2011
Supporters mark Khodorkovsky arrest anniversary
October 25th, 2011 was the eighth anniversary of the arrest and detention of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Had Khodorkovsky not been sentenced to a new prison term in December 2010, today he would have been a free man, having served the entirety of the eight-year sentence handed down at the end of his first trial in 2005. Instead, Khodorkovsky is now scheduled for release in 2016.
To mark the eighth anniversary of Khodorkovsky’s arrest, the ‘Speak Louder’ movement held demonstrations in New York, Chicago, London, Milan and Berlin, while simultaneously the International Committee for Democratic Russia had protestors in Washington D.C. and New York. In both Times Square and outside the White House, protestors including Khodorkovsky’s friends, Russian-American political bloggers and Russian ex-pats worked to raise awareness of the case and the general state of Russian politics ahead of the 2012 presidential elections. Khodorkovsky’s son, Pavel, who helped to plan the Times Square demonstration, stated that the protest was important not only to raise awareness in America, but also to show solidarity with activists in Russia.
The eighth anniversary was the subject of extensive press coverage worldwide. Of particular note, the French weekly magazine Paris-Match published an exclusive interview with Khodorkovsky featuring topics ranging from his personal philosophy and daily schedule to the upcoming presidential elections.
In St. Petersburg, Russia, opposition activists held a series of pickets on the city’s St. Isaac’s Square with dozens of portraits of Khodorkovsky behind bars and placards proclaiming ‘Free Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.’ Olga Kurnosova, the leader of the United Civil Front in St. Petersburg, stated it is necessary to ‘remind everyone in the country about things like Khodorkovsky’s case. There is such apathy in Russian society now, especially after Putin announced his intention to run for president again.’
Amnesty International Germany called for the immediate and unconditional release of Khodorkovsky, stating that ‘[he] has served the prison sentence of his first trial. He must therefore be released. The same applies to his former business partner Lebedev…The allegations of the charges in the second trial are incomprehensible in the context of the first conviction…Khodorkovsky and Lebedev did not have a fair trial. There are strong indications that this trial was politically motivated.’
‘Khodorkovsky’ documentary premieres in Poland
The critically-acclaimed ‘Khodorkovsky’ documentary had its preview screening in Poland on October 14th at the Kultura cinema in Warsaw. The screening was followed by a Q&A session with Khodorkovsky’s son, Pavel. The film received outstanding reviews during its first showing at the Berlinale Film Festival in Germany earlier this year and has been hailed by The New Yorker as ‘a document of high political and moral moment, one that could embarrass Russia’s ruling clique with revelations of official misdeeds and abuses’.
Pavel Khodorkovsky speaks to the Oxford Union
On October 18th, at the Oxford Union, one of the world’s most famous debating societies, a packed chamber debated the motion ‘This House believes that what happens in Russia, stays in Russia.’ Speaking for the proposition were Independent Foreign Correspondent Mary Dejevsky, Russo-British Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Stephen Dalziel, and a rather reluctant former UK Ambassador to Russia Tony Brenton. For the opposition were Economist International Editor Edward Lucas, Guardian Foreign Correspondent Luke Harding and Pavel Khodorkovsky. Pavel concluded the debate with a passionate speech appealing to the crowd’s sense of humanity to remember those oppressed by Russia’s autocracy. The Union overwhelmingly voted to reject the motion and agreed with the opposition that what happens in Russia cannot and does not stay in Russia.
Koralovo hosts Lyceum Day
On October 22nd, the Koralovo Lyceum, located outside of Moscow, hosted a day of celebrations to showcase its work to supporters and their guests. The Lyceum was established by Khodorkovsky in 1994 and it provides education for children who lost their parents as a result of terrorist activities, natural disasters and service in the Russian military.
