Russian Court Orders Review Of Khodorkovsky Convictions

Former Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky was released from prison late last week.

Russia's Supreme Court has agreed to review the two sets of convictions against former oil tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky following his surprise release and departure for Germany.

Russia's former richest man was pardoned by President Vladimir Putin last week eight months ahead of his scheduled release after more than a decade behind bars.

Khodorkovsky was jailed in 2003 and convicted of fraud and tax evasion in 2005. He and co-defendant Platon Lebedev were sentenced again in 2010 on money laundering and embezzlement charges that were presented shortly before both were set to be released.

A spokesman for Russia's highest court said on Wednesday that a review of both the 2005 and 2010 convictions of the two men will be conducted within the next two months.

Khodorkovsky arrived in Berlin on December 20 after being released from a penal colony near Russia's Arctic Circle.


Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax