European Solidarity with Khodorkovsky

The following press release was issued this evening from the offices of the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering:

EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering expresses solidarity with the family of Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Earlier today the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering met with Mrs Marina Khodorkovsky, the mother of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former owner of the Jukos Corporation, now a political prisoner, serving a several year long sentence in a Russian prison in Siberia. Mrs Khodorkovsky informed the President of the inhumane detention conditions in which her son and all the other inmates, are serving their sentence.

The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, made the following statement after the meeting:

“I am shocked with what I have heard from Mrs Khodorkovsky about the treatment of her son and the conditions in which he is serving his sentence. On behalf of the European Parliament I would like to express our sympathy and solidarity for the family of Mr Mikhail Khodorkovsky and support for their actions aimed at bringing justice in the case of their son, husband and loved one.

I would also like to take this opportunity to strongly appeal to the authorities of the Russian Federation, particularly in this time when the negotiations on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement have been resumed with the European Union, to take seriously their commitment to respect the law in their country. The fate of political prisoners is indeed of highest importance for the European Union”.