The time limit for the investigation has been extended, and the period of detention without trial soon will be.

On 7 April 2008 the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Public Prosecutor’s Office, A.I. Bastrykin, allowed , at the request of V.N. Alyshev, head of the Investigative Team, a further 3 months for the preliminary investigation into the Khodorkovsky-Lebedev case, until 2 August 2008.

On 21 April the Chita Regional Court will consider the investigator’s application for a further extension of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s period of custodial detention. On 22 April Platon Lebedev will be the subject of a similar hearing.