Former Russian Oil Tycoon Khodorkovsky Marks 10 Years In Prison
Former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky (center) is escorted into a court in Moscow in December 2003, less than two months after his arrest, for a hearing on prolonging his pretrial custody.
Former Russian Oil Tycoon Khodorkovsky Marks 10 Years In Prison
October 25 marks 10 years since jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky was arrested by Russian authorities.
Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, was eventually convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to eight years in prison.
In 2010, he was given a second prison term for money laundering and embezzlement from Yukos oil company, which he headed.
Khodorkovsky is set to be released in August, and his former business partner Platon Lebedev, who was arrested a few months earlier, is expected to be freed in May.
However, Khodorkovsky's supporters fear that new charges could be prepared to keep him behind the bars.
Critics call charges against Khodorkovsky punishment for having challenged President Vladimir Putin's dominance on Russia's political scene.
In a statement on October 25, the U.S. State Department reiterated its concerns about selective prosecution, a politically motivated investigation, and lack of respect for due process rights in Khodorkovsky's and Lebedev's cases.
PHOTOGALLERY: From Young Tycoon To Graying Inmate
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Khodorkovsky: From Young Tycoon To Graying Inmate
October 25 marks the tenth anniversary of the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man. The former CEO of oil giant Yukos was arrested in 2003 on tax evasion and fraud charges along with his business partner Platon Lebedev; in 2010, the two were sentenced to additional jail time on charges of embezzlement and money laundering. Khodorkovsky is now due to be released in August 2014. The case against him is seen by many in Russia as retribution for Khodorkovsky's political challenges to the Kremlin.
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