ECHR has not yet heard issues related to Khodorkovsky case or verdict - defense
MOSCOW. June 4 (Interfax) - The European Court of Human Rights did not pass any rulings to the effect that there are no political motives behind the criminal case against ex-head of the defunct oil company Yukos Mikhail Khodorkovsky. It was Khodorkovsky's arrest in 2003 that was the issue, said Khodorkovsky's defense lawyer.
"I would like to make a point and declare with all responsibility that the European Court of Human Rights did not consider any issues connected with the criminal case or the verdict, even with the first one," defense lawyer Vladimir Klyuvgant told Interfax.
"All that the ECHR has considered to date with the relevant resolutions passed, is his detention and arrest in 2003, and his living conditions in custody after that," he claimed. "The court did say in this context that it had not found irrefutable evidence that these particular events and decisions were politically motivated. The ECHR did not say anything at all about other decisions," he said.
"Not only the rhetoric, but also the degree of sincerity has not changed up there. There is no truth in it," Klyuvgant said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that Khodorkovsky cannot be considered a political prisoner. "Concerning the so-called political prisoners. Wherever I go I hear the same question asked about the future of Mr. Khodorkovsky. As you know, the European Court of Human Rights said there are no political motives to be found in Mr. Khodorkovsky's criminal case and verdict, " Putin told reporters on Monday after a Russia-European Union summit.
Khodorkovsky is serving a 13-year term in jail under two verdicts handed down to him.
On May 13, 2011, the ECHR passed a ruling after hearing Khodorkovsky's first complaint about his arrest under the first criminal case. The court said then that serious human rights abuses were committed in 2003-05 and ordered that Russia repay Khodorkovsky 10,000 euro in non-material damages and 14,543 euro in court expenses.
The court also said that no irrefutable evidence had been provided that Khodorkovsky's criminal prosecution was politically motivated.
