Over on the Guardian’s Comment is Free, William Harrison argues that releasing Khodorkovsky and providing citizenship for New Times journalist Natalia Morar (whom we’ve featured quite extensively on the blog) are the two tests for Dmitry Medvedev to show he means what he says about ending legal nihilism.

But if we are really to trust Medvedev’s words on freedom of the media and “legal nihilism”, we need to see some concrete action. Two cases that have hit the news recently in Russia can be seen as a test as to whether he really is committed, as his words suggest, to moving towards a more liberal style of rule in Russia – and, just as important, whether he is capable of achieving it.