European Parliament Subcommittee of Human Rights delegation to Russia visited the trial of Khodorkovsky and Lebedev today.[:]

The members of the delegation, Ms. Heidi Hautala, Chair of European Parliament Subcommittee, Ms. Laima Andrekiene, Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee and Thijs Berman, member of the Subcommittee, expressed great alarm over the reported irregularities of the trial and the arbitrary nature of Messrs. Khodorkovsky and Lebedev’s treatment.

The delegation remains committed to monitoring the case at the European Parliament and intends to raise this case and its implications for the rule of law in Russia once the Parliament considers the EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

The delegation further recalls that any proposed initiatives for modernization by the Russian President Medvedev cannot succeed without rigorously developing the rule of law.