Mikhail Khodorkovsky lawyers Elena Levina and Karinna Moskalenko came to the pretrial detention center today at approximately 2.30 p.m. to meet with their client. As was the case yesterday, documents proving the lawyers represented Khodorkovsky’s interests in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg were not sufficient to visit their client. Detention officials demanded documents showing the lawyers represented Khodorkovsky’s interests in the Moscow City Court. After an extensive period of waiting in the reception room and exhausting negotiations with prison officials the lawyers finally received permission from Fikret Tagiyev, the head of the detention center, to meet with Khodorkovsky. Immediately after, however, the lawyers were informed that Khodorkovsky’s cell was held on “strict quarantine” and a meeting with their client would not be possible.

Based upon their experience from other clients, the lawyers said that introducing “a strict quarantine” means that all detained persons can not leave the cell even for walks at least for two weeks.