Statement from the Transbaikal Committee on Public and Political Support of Mikhail Khodorkovsky

December 5, 2005
Kommersant

The Transbaikal Committee on Public and Political Support for Mikhail Khodorkovsky has announced that it is initiating a sign-in on behalf of Khodorkovsky. Committee Chairman 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.”

Kuznetsov stated that the Committee does not have any contacts with the former head of Yukos. “Our representative, Vitaly Cherkasov from the Chita human rights advocacy center, is in Krasnokamensk now in order to find out more about the conditions at Khodorkovsky’s penal colony,” Kuznetsov said.

It should be noted that the Committee was established one week ago. Committee members support the information that indicates that Khodorkovsky was convicted on political grounds.