Khodorkovsky asks for parole in Russia

by Sanjay Jha | July 16, 2008 at 03:17 am

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Lawyers are trying to secure the release of jailed Russian billionaire and crtitic of former President V Putin. He is serving the jail term on what is widely believed a political case.

The lawyers for jailed Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky say they have asked for his parole. Khodorkovsky was convicted of tax evasion and fraud in May 2005 after a politically tinged trial. He is serving an eight-year sentence and has been in custody for nearly five years.

His lawyers said Wednesday they filed the request for Khodorkovsky's early release with the court in Chita.

The legal onslaught against Khodorkovsky and his Yukos oil company was widely seen as Kremlin punishment for his independence and political ambitions. Yukos has since been taken over by state oil company Rosneft.

The court's willingness to consider his parole is being seen as a test of new President Dmitry Medvedev's commitment to the rule of law.