Below is an exclusive translation of a breaking story from the Spanish press. First published in El Pais, and also covered by several other outlets, the story concerns Antonio Valdés-García, a Spanish-Russian dual citizen who says he was beaten and tortured by Russian investigators to force him to provide false testimony against Mikhail Khodorkovsky. It should be illustrative of the weakness of the state’s case that they have to nearly murder Vasily Alexanyan, and now, allegedly beat this individual to within an inch of his life to produce false testimony against Khodorkovsky. It is a story that speaks for itself.

Spaniard accuses Russian police and prosecutors of forcing his false testimony against Khodorkovsky

Antonio Valdés-García, 38 years old, a Spanish-Russian dual citizen, is accusing representatives of the Russian government of pressuring, beating, and torturing him.

PILAR BONET | Moscow 23/04/2009

Antonio Valdés-García, 38 years old, of Spanish and Russian dual nationality, has become a potential and valuable witness for the Kremlin in its case against Mikhail Khodorkovsky to close ranks around the fallen former president of Yukos. From Madrid, where he is located after having mysteriously fled from the police and courts of Moscow, Valdés-García has accused the Russian state of pressuring, beating, and torturing him with the goal of obliging him to give false testimony against the oil magnate.