‘There have been applications to disbar all Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s lawyers (in my own case, two applications). So if the councils of the various Bar Associations had proved unable to reach a decision the issue would have come before the courts. And, as we know, for almost five years the courts have done exactly as the Kremlin told them. In which case, Khodorkovsky would not have had any defence attorneys at all.'
Yury Schmidt speaking about Putin’s last bill on Echo Moskvy, 8.05.2008