Suddenly they knocked off

The Presidium of the Moscow City Court has reduced the length of stay of former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky and former head of the Menatep MFO Platon Lebedev in custody from 13 to 11 years. Thus, the supervisory appeal of the convicts was partially satisfied. In addition, the amount of allegedly legalized funds in the charge was reduced by two million - which, however, is not related to the reduction of the term. The Moscow City Court took into account the amendments initiated by Medvedev, according to which the upper threshold of punishment for a number of articles incriminated against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev is reduced. If the decision of the Moscow City Court comes into force, then both former entrepreneurs will be released in 2014. Meanwhile, the defense of both demands that they be released now.

Previously, the Velsky District Court of the Arkhangelsk Region, where Lebedev is serving his sentence, twice granted the request of his lawyers and reduced his period of detention more significantly than the Moscow City Court now, but both times the Arkhangelsk court overturned these decisions.