TRIAL OF MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY AND PLATON LEBEDEV

Early day motion 863, tabled 19 October 2010 by Chris Bryant (Labour). Signed by 13 members.

That this House condemns the arrest and prosecution of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev and denounces the trial currently in process against them as politically motivated; notes that Khodorkovsky's case has been marred by severe human rights abuses and shares the concern of Amnesty International that the rights of the two defendants have been violated; supports the Italian Parliament, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Francois Zimeray, France's Human Rights Ambassador and other parliaments and politicians who have called on President Medvedev to take all measures to ensure the rule of law and respect for Khodorkovsky's rights; is concerned by the harassment of UK witnesses involved in the trial; further notes that Khodorkovsky has been detained illegally and has been subject to appalling treatment, kept in a glass booth in court, has been placed in solitary confinement for absurd reasons, denied full access to legal counsel and unfairly denied access to his family; believes that Khodorkovsky's case amplifies the recurring and systemic problems plaguing the Russian justice system; and calls on the Government to raise the case with President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin and to continue to demand that the Russian President and Prime Minister fulfil their pledge to end legal nihilism in Russia.

Signatures by party: Labour 7, Conservative 2, Liberal Democrat 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2.