The following statement is being distributed via wire in response to the news that my client, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, has once again been made a victim of unfair, selective, and cruel persecution under the guise of Russian “justice,” as authorities have placed him in solitary confinement for having given an interview to the Russian version of Esquire magazine. The translation of that interview with the famous novelist Boris Akunin is available here on this blog. Yuri Schmidt commented to the media that this administrative sanction is obviously and clearly illegal, and that Khodorkovsky has never violated any rule regarding correspondence and that there is no evidence of any wrongdoing of any kind. These kinds of incidents make it very difficult to take Russia’s leaders seriously when they talk about commitment to law and justice, and their preparedness to become a new responsible international leader in a multipolar geopolitical system. Below is the text of the press release, which can also be viewed on MarketWatch.