Statement by Mikhail Khodorkovsky

November 1, 2004

Your Honor, Respected Court,

I obviously see no point in further discussing the illegalities of the motion filed by the prosecution. My defense team has already addressed this issue and such illegalities are obvious enough to any unbiased individual, not to mention the comic situation concerning the questioning of one of the witnesses [to which the prosecution referred]…It is difficult for me to understand how the Prosecutor General and the federal prosecutor [Dmitry Shokhin] are able to criticize me for questions that I asked in regard to information already provided during a pre-trial questioning session. And then they require the witness to confirm those facts in court with the help of the prosecutor.

In all seriousness, no one is really afraid that I will leave; no one is concerned - everyone understands perfectly well that I am not going anywhere. And the respected prosecutor knows full well that I will not pressure any witnesses or other participants in the legal proceedings. Such attempts on my part would be such a gift to the prosecution that they can only dream about it.

It is obvious enough what they are afraid of, why I am actually still under arrest, and why they continue to issue such demands. Because, if I were free, it would be more difficult [for the government] to carry out such a pointless attack on the largest oil company in Russia, [an attack] that endangers society. I accepted the fact that I would lose my assets a long time ago, even offering my shares of stock to pay for what I think are the completely illegitimate claims for debts [said to be owed by] the company [YUKOS]. I do not get worked up about material possessions, a trait for which I have been criticized by my partners. And, in order to lessen the pressure from this group of colleagues, I considered that such an approach would be much more peaceful than destroying the company, which is what is currently taking place. In my opinion, the destruction of the company is harmful to society and completely pointless. One can only wonder on whose behalf [it is being undertaken] and why such a needless attack was felt to be necessary. However, it is clear that the first and more likely reason that I am here is so that I would not interfere [in this situation].

Second, of course, is the concern that, if I were to be set free, the [political] opposition would receive intellectual and organizational substantiation [for their actions] that would facilitate a more successful effort in contending with the government's position as a whole and with that of certain individual government officials in particular.

(From Mikhail Khodorkovsky'official site, 1.11.2004)