Yesterday, the UK parliament debated the UK’s work on international human rights and in doing so raised Russia as a country of concern and highlighted the cases of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Sir Richard Ottaway MP, said that the committee hoped that one month ahead of the Sochi Olympics the UK would use the occasion as a platform to voice concerns about human rights abuses in Russia. He also welcomed the release of Khodorkovsky and the Supreme Court decision earlier that day to release Lebedev:

“The recent release of high-profile prisoners in Russia, including Pussy Riot, the Greenpeace activists and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, suggests that Russia is receptive-cynically, perhaps-to cases that damage its reputation internationally. Khodorkovsky said himself that his release could not symbolise that there were no political prisoners left in Russia, as much of the Government’s crackdown on human rights continues unabated. I welcome the decision this morning to release Platon Lebedev, but the financial claim of 17.5 billion roubles against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev effectively blocks their return to Russia.”

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Kerry McCarthy, commended the Foreign Affairs Committee’s focus on Russia in their report, citing the ‘foreign agents’ law as one of the most worrying indications of Russia’s attempt to stifle civil society and Russia’s crackdown on LGBT rights. McCarthy went on to highlight the importance of Sochi in highlighting Russian human rights abuses as well as citing Khodorkovsky’s comments on release:

“The spotlight provided by the winter Olympics no doubt contributed to President Putin‘s amnesty and the release of the Arctic 30, Nadya and Masha from Pussy Riot and Mikhail Khodorkovsky among others. It is important that that pressure and trend should be maintained after the spotlight of Sochi has dimmed. As Mr Khodorkovsky highlighted on his release, many more political prisoners remain in detention. We must also consider Human Rights Watch’s warning that Sochi means that Russian authorities have intensified the harassment and intimidation of campaigners; other Governments and the International Olympic Committee should take note. Given that Russia is due to host the 2018 football World cup, FIFA should also be taking a close interest.”