EKHO MOSKVY

K. Moskolenko: . . . When someone is sent many thousands of kilometres away, one’s first reaction is to say: ‘They’re getting rid of him’. But that’s not the end of it. You have to get rid of his family too, to make sure that there’s no place for them in a country they love, have lived in for their whole lives and have never wanted to leave. But that’s my emotion talking. Speaking as a lawyer, I’m very glad that nobody in Khodorkovsky’s family has yet been accused of anything. I live in hope that the little 7-year boys won’t get charged with any crime, and the same applies - though with slightly less confidence - to Nastya, who’s already a grown-up girl, 14 to 15 years old, to say nothing of Inna. So I still have some hope that unlimited lawlessness can still be prevented, if only to a small degree.

I. Pashina: This whole thing reminds me of far back in history, when a disgraced boyar would be sent into exile with his wife, children, servants and belongings, so that the whole lot could be cleaned out in one go. Thank God we’re not living in Stalin’s time now.

A. Venediktov: People listening think you only defend billionaires.

K. Moskolenko: Completely untrue. I tell Mikhail Borisovich all the time that he’s my one and only client of his kind - I don’t have any others. I represent as a general rule absolutely underprivileged citizens. I say: ‘You know, Mikhail Borisovich, you’re the only one who pays me. All the rest we defend free of charge. Appellants, at least - free of charge’. Maybe I can think of another two or three cases where I was paid. Today I was asked at Radio Svoboda how much it costs for a consultation. I said I didn’t know. I see everyone free of charge, since I get $200 as an expert in one grant, and $300 as someone who works in the Centre in another. So they tell me I’m hiding something. But there’s nothing whatsoever to hide. It’s just that at one moment we’re working out the provisions of one grant - here’s the money - at another the provisions of two others. So my answer is that I’m paid as an expert.

I. Pashina: Getting back to where we started - the issue of the arrest. The audience is interested in how things are at the Koralovo boarding school since its property assets were frozen. Is it keeping going or. . .

K. Moskolenko: It’s keeping going.

A. Venediktov: It’ll open?

K. Moskolenko: A lot of people, entrepreneurs in Russia and abroad, have told me they’re ready to help the school financially to prevent its closure due to legal uncertainties about the status of its property. But, being responsible people, Khodorkovsky’s parents, Marina Filipovna and Boris Moiseevich, can’t start the academic year if they’re not sure they’ll be able to see it all the way through. Because this doesn’t only concern. . .

A. Venediktov: It doesn’t in the end depend on them, I think.

K. Moskolenko: It doesn’t depend on them. At the same time they can’t not start the academic year, because if they don’t, then the children will have to be sent back to their homes where I’m afraid they won’t be able to live. These children are in an uncertain position, in limbo. I’m struggling to understand why, simply because they wanted to bring Khodorkovsky down, they had to do the same to everyone!

RADIO SVOBODA

The host of the program is Andrei Sharogradsky. Also taking part is Maryana Torocheshnikova, Radio Svoboda’s Moscow reporter

Andrei Sharogradksy: The Centre for International Defence Aid is facing bankruptcy. This is the only public organization in Russia which specializes in providing legal counsel to citizens applying to international bodies, including the European Court of Human Rights. Today is the deadline for the submission of any objection to the tax people’s decision to claim back-taxes of 4.5 million rubles from the Centre. . .

Karinna Moskalenko: I represent so many appellants who are unpopular with the authorities that it’s really difficult to say if it has to do with Khodorkovsky or with other cases of ours that the government’s sensitive about. I simply don’t know. Maybe what the Centre does has got up the nose of someone - after all, no-one likes to lose cases, especially when they’re to do with violation of the right to fair justice, or to do with torture or the cruel treatment of Russian citizens. I think that all of this could be a reason - and then again, though we’re simply not aware of it yet, I don’t rule out the possibility of a mistake. Maybe this is over-generous of me. But I can’t believe that we, who’ve represented the interests of so many people, can now be cast in the role of victim. I really can’t believe this. . .

Karinna Moskalenko: We’re using every opportunity the law provides - which is the way we’ve always advised our appellants, and the way we’re taking ourselves to deal with this situation. Today is the deadline for the submission of our objection. It’s ready, and we’ll be handing it over to the tax people. After this the two sides have an opportunity to go through a reassessment procedure. And if there’s nothing sinister behind our being singled-out, then I think there’s a chance that our position will be accepted and these baseless claims cancelled during this process of reconciliation. I’ve been asked repeatedly over the past ten years or so, ‘Hasn’t the Russian government ever got in the way of your work?’. I say, ‘I’m not aware of it. No, never’. But what’s happened over the past year or year-and-a-half? Ceaseless calls to the Centre, endless questions from the registration services: Who are these lawyers, why are they members of the Bar, what income do we have. . ? Everything we do is transparent You can can find out anything, anything you want.