Chita regional court maintains extension of Khodorkovsky’s detention.

Chita regional court rejected lawyers’ appeal for former Yukos boss, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to be released from detention on the 2nd of March.

’This meeting was just a formality since Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s period of detention has effectively already been extended until the 2nd of May, 2008’, Khodorkovsky’s lawyer, Semyon Rozenberg, said to Interfax-Siberia on Thursday.

According to him, Mikhail Khodorkovsky was not present during the meeting and the lawyer was therefore not aware of Khodorkovsky’s decision to go on hunger strike.

’I am still unable to comment on M. Khodorkovsky’s state of health. One of his lawyers is currently with him. We will know in the afternoon whether or not Khodorkovsky has cancelled his hunger strike’ said Semyon Rozenberg.

(‘Interfax’, 07.02.2008)