MEP Marieluise Beck, chair of the Greens in the German Bundestag, has issued statement.

Press release of the Greens in the German Bundestag, issued on October 25, 2007

Khodorkovsky’s trial must be monitored by the Council of Europe

On the fourth anniversary of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s arrest, MEP Marieluise Beck, chair of the Greens in the German Bundestag, has issued the following statement:

The Council of Europe already voiced criticism of the serious violations of the principles of a law-governed, constitutional state and of the rights of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his former business partner Platon Lebedev that occurred during their first trial. Since the RF Prosecutor General's office brought new charges in February this year Khodorkovsky and Lebedev are to be put on trial again.

It is evident that this time the defendants will again be deprived of the right to a fair trial. The decision of the Moscow City Court that Khodorkovsky and Lebedev should be transferred from eastern Siberia to Moscow has still not been enforced. Meanwhile, there has been an attempt to deprive one of their lawyers of her right to practice as an attorney.

These violations of the principles of a law-governed, constitutional state may have damaging consequences for the Russian judicial system and the development of sound democratic institutions.

In accordance with Russia’s obligations to the Council of Europe, the Russian judicial system must try Khodorkovsky and Lebedev openly and fairly. To ensure these demands for open justice, obligatory for all members of the Council, are respected the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe must appoint a special envoy to monitor this case. Only in this way can transparency be assured and the public be warned of the threat to the primacy of the law. The corresponding proposals have already been sent to the Council of Europe.