The U.S. State Department’s 2005 Human Rights Report expressed alarm over “the arbitrary use of the judicial system” in the arrest, detention and conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.

Drs. Martin Harris and John O'Grady inform the court that they are available to provide an independent medical examination of Platon Lebedev. Download their letters to the court » Download Dr. Harris's medical report »

The Russian organization “For Human Rights” has requested that the European Commission appeal to Russian political leaders and demand they return convicts transferred to the furthest possible region, such as Khodorkovsky and Lebedev, to their regions of residence in compliance with article 73 of Russian Criminal Code.

The 2006 Human Rights Watch Annual Report notes Russia has come under increasing criticism for eliminating political rivals, including Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. The 2006 report also notes that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe attacked Russia for these prosecutions, which 'went beyond the mere pursuit of justice.' Download the Human Rights Watch 2006 Report »

Russian human rights activists congratulate Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev, Alexei Pichugin and other political prisoners on the New Year. "You have been imprisoned. Unfairly and unlawfully," they write in a letter. Read more »

The Russian Federation, which was downgraded by Freedom House in 2004 to a "Not Free" country, again dropped in its ranking in Freedom House's 2005 World Report. Read more »

Participants in the conference "Politically Motivated Trials in Modern Russia" send a letter to the chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe describing instances of "gross interference by the state in the professional activities of attorneys." The letter mentions that lawyers for Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev and Alexei Pichugin were threatened with disbarment during the course of their work. Read more »

Russian NGO “Sovest” has requested members of the All-Russian Civic Congress to join its appeal to relocate Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev to penal colonies closer to Moscow, in accordance with Russian law. The appeal will be sent to Federal Penitentiary Service Director Yuri Kalinin. Read more »

The film Reaction, a documentary about the reactions of Russians to Mikhail Khodorkovsky's conviction, is to be shown at the 5th International Human Rights Film Festival in Poland. Read more »

Chita human rights activists, including head of the Chita Regional Human Rights Center, Vitaly Cherkasov, are concerned about the situation regarding the YaG-14/10 colony in Krasnokamensk where former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky is being held. Read more »

The Transbaikal Committee on Public and Political Support for Mikhail Khodorkovsky announces that it is initiating a sign-in on behalf of Khodorkovsky. The chairman of the committee, Oleg Kuznetsov, intends to “seek compliance with Russian law and the transfer of Mikhail Khodorkovsky to a penal colony located in close proximity to his residence, i.e. in the Moscow Region.” Read more »

Khodorkovsky's lawyers announce that in addition to the improper legal proceedings throughout the trial, they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights with the allegation that while serving his term in prison, his right to have free access to legal assistance has been violated. Read more »

Representatives of Russian social associations of the Chita oblast establish a new organization for the support of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, declaring in their first statement that he is a political prisoner in a land infamous for being an outpost of victims of oppression. Read more »

On December 9, 2005, a new law intended to introduce significant changes for non-governmental organizations, is likely to pass its 2nd and 3rd reading in the DUMA, the Russian Parliament, and will thereafter be presented to the Russian Federation Council for approval. The new law will give the Russian government more control over previously independent NGOs. Read more »

The Confederation of Political Prisoners of the Czech Republic, have, in response to letters sent out by Lebedev and Khodorkovsky's lawyers, proclaimed both Khodorkovsky and Lebedev political prisoners. Their proclamation states that the violations of rule of law and court proceedings did not comply with international legal norms or human rights standards. Download the proclamation announcing Khodorkovsky and Lebedev political prisoners » Download the letter from the Confederation to Bob Amsterdam »

Robert Arsenault, President of the International League for Human Rights, said in a speech to the organization's chapter in Korea that "Russia should release Mr. Khodorkovsky from his unjust exile." Download the statement  »

Prominent members of Russian civil society send an appeal to 18 world leaders asking them to support the recognition of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev and others as political prisoners. "In our view, their [Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev's] arrest, detention and unlawful conviction were accompanies by such circumstances which are meant to act as the Kremlin's warning to anyone dissenting from the official opinion." Download the appeal  »

The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) in Germany declared Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a political prisoner. "The question whether Mikhail Khodorkovsky was arrested for his political convictions is no longer relevant," the ISHR press release states. "In jail, he has become a political prisoner." Download the statement  »

Defence attorney Yuri Schmidt and human rights advocate Lev Ponomarev described legal violations in the Khodorkovsky-Lebedev case during an OSCE conference in Tbilisi, Georgia. Read more »

Human rights activist and former political prisoner Sergey Kovalev says he believes Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a political prisoner. Read more »

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