Russia’s Supreme Court Decides to Play God
Below is a translation of an article from Khodorkovsky.ru, dated Jan. 22. It serves as a companion to the Supreme Court transcript of Vasily Alexanyan which we posted earlier.
Supreme Court decides to play god Terminally ill Vasily Alexanyan kept in detention. Today, three judges of the Supreme Court of the RF, having heard the arguments of the defenders of Vasily Alexanyan, the speech of Vasily Alexanyan himself, and a thirty-second appearance by the procurator, emerged from chambers with a decision based on information that had not sounded in court, and which was not known even to the lawyers and the accused.
Making reference to the deputy procurator-general’s having already confirmed the bill of indictment (!), and the case’s having been sent to court for examination on the merits (!), the Supreme Court denied the lawyers in the satisfaction of their cassational appeal of the latest extension for Vasily Alexanyan of the term of detention. Lawyers Yelena Lvova and Gevorg Dangyan called the decision of the Supreme Court unlawful, groundless, and unconstitutional, because despite all of the circumstances enumerated by the court, it should have examined the defence appeal on the merits. In addition to this, the lawyers expressed perplexity relative to the features of the judges’ chambers, into which such sensations can penetrate.Today, leaning heavily on a table, Vasily Alexanyan appeared before the court (in video conference mode). From «Matrosskaya tishina» he spoke about things that are found beyond the plane of good and evil. He spoke about things that, in the 21st century, ought to be learned about from books about the inquisition. But here he stands, leaning heavily on the table, coughing and recounting how they’re methodically killing him in jail.By the way, the bill of indictment was served on Vasily Alexanyan right after the court – at 13:45. The paper bears today’s date, which, of course, casts an unnecessary shadow on the secrecy of all judges’ chambers throughout the world.
