Izbrannoye, 02.07.2008

The editorial of Izbrannoye received a call from the chief editor of Tvoy den Timur Marder

Mr Marder, as it emerges, has a grievance with the article published in our newspaper (Êîìó íóæåí ïîäàâëåííûé Õîäîðêîâñêèé? from 01.06.2008). Izbrannoye quoted Marina Filippovna Khodorkovsky, who denied the words attributed to her by the newspaper Tvoy den.
The chief editor of Tvoy den, in his turn, claims that the words provided in edition of his newspaper do in fact belong to Marina Filippovna Khodorkovsky. Furthermore, Mr Marder referred to a video recording posted on the site Life.ru.

Izbrannoye considers it necessary to offer its readers the opportunity to compare the version published in the newspaper Tvoy den with the transcript of the video file referred to by Timur Marder.

So, here is the newspaper version:

“In an exclusive interview to Tvoy den the mother of Mikhail Khodorkovsky said that her son has started experiencing health problems.

Returning from a three-day visit granted to the former head of Yukos on the occasion of his forty-fifth birthday, Marina Filippovna still cannot compose herself.

‘I am in a state of some sort of nervous exhaustion,’ confided the elderly lady.

‘Misha has always looked self-assured, even behind bars he has kept his head. But at our last meeting he was looking poorly. There were some marks on his face…’”

Transcript of the video file:

Question: How does Mikhail Borisovich feel?

Answer: Well, he never complains…

Question: Never?

Answer: Never.

Question: And how does he look?

Answer: Well, he’s pale, of course… There’s no fresh air… (inaudible). And he’s getting some kind of allergy…

The term nervous exhaustion was indeed used by Marina Filippovna. But in an entirely different part of the conversation, as the transcript of the video shows.

Question: How are you feeling?

Answer: You know, I have a feeling of (inaudible)… Some sort of nervous exhaustion...

There is another controversial passage concerning the relationship between the pretrial detention centre’s administration and prisoner Khodorkovsky.

In the published version:

“Most of all the mum of the most famous prisoner in Krasnokamensk penal colony is worried about deteriorating relations between the oligarch and the staff of the correctional institution.

‘The prisoners, in contrast with the command of the colony, so far are treating Mikhail OK,’ confided Marina Filippovna. ‘My son was given to understand that someone is trying very hard to turn the convicts against him. I am driven crazy by the single thought that something terrible could happen to my son in the cell!’”

(Correction to Tvoy den’s correspondent: for over a year Mikhail Khodorkovsky has not been held in the Krasnokamensk penal colony, he is in fact detained in Chita pretrial detention centre).

In the transcript of the video recording:

Question: And the command of the colony, oops, the pretrial detention centre, how are they?

Are things going smoothly, everything OK?

Answer: They are doing everything by the law… It’s nothing to worry about.

The words about the administration trying to aggravate relations between Khodorkovsky and the prisoners are taken from the letter published, which – according to Tvoy den – belongs to Marina Filippovna Khodorkovsky. The letter said: “The prisoners treat him with respect (so far), though the colony’s leadership is trying to spoil their relationship. But that is not the wish of the staff of the colony. They too are not at liberty…”Note that the colony, not the pretrial detention centre, is being discussed. Khodorkovsky has not been held in the colony for over a year.

There is something else that needs to be said about the letters.

In his conversation with chief editor of Izbrannoye, Lyudmila Telen, Mr Marder made repeated reference to them. They are, as Tvoy den claims, the private letters of Khodorkovsky and Marina Filippovna to a certain Tomsk lady teacher. In the opinion of the newspaper, they attest to Khodorkovsky’s depression.

“Khodorkovsky’s private letters came into the hands of Tvoy den, and judging by them it could not be said that the former leader of Yukos’s morale is crushed and broken, though his inner turmoil and unending depression is evident. Starting from August of last year his parents have been receiving letters from Mikhail Khodorkovsky filled with sadness.”

Timur Marder refused to discuss the question of how the newspaper got hold of these letters. One thing is clear: neither Khodorkovsky nor his mother gave permission for their publication.

Leaving behind the issue of the publication of private letters without their authors’ permission, and also the issue of their authenticity, we shall point out only that they do not attest to any depression, as any readers who can fight their disgust and read what was published on the site Life.ru will see for themselves.