Kremlin denies Khodorkovsky and his business partner Lebedev presidential amnesty

Author: Agatha Idrisova Section: Major Events of the Month

Issue: April 2012, Vol.7, No.4

Tags: Khodorkovsky

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Lack of Compassion

The Russian authorities have refused to ‘tamper justice with mercy’ by denying jailed ex-Yukos Oil Corp. owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky a presidential amnesty. The Russian Human Rights Council (RHRC) chief, Mikhail Fedotov, said the president rejected the conclusion of the RHRC that recommended pardons for 30 prisoners, including the ‘humbled tycoon’ and his business partner Platon Lebedev. In its recommendation, the RHRC substantiated a legal argument that the president has the power to pardon any prisoner, even without a petition from him. “But the president did not agree with us, specifically noting that he cannot pardon someone, who had not asked for it.”