Winners Announced in Pro-Khodorkovsky Poster Contest

Nicholas Danilov, managing editor of MosNews, and Alexei Solovyov, an artist and computer designer, have won $2,000 in a poster contest in support of the imprisoned former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Their poster, with only three words: “Khodorkovsky Go Home”, (two last words written in English) won first prize. A poster showing handcuffed hands and saying “Want to do business in Russia? Ask me how”, won the second prize of $1,000.

The contest was organized by the opposition Grani.Ru website. Khodorkovsky’s wife, Inna, was the jury chairman. Among the other jury members were famous Russian journalists.

Khodorkovsky was arrested on Oct. 25, 2003. He was charged with fraud and tax evasion, and placed in detention pending trial. Several bail requests were denied. His arrest has attracted attention from various public figures and human right groups, both Russian and Western, who criticized it as being politically motivated.

(Moscow News, 12.16.2004)