More delays in Russia tycoon case

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Prosecutors accused Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky on Tuesday of deliberately delaying his appeal against a fraud conviction while he makes an election bid designed to embarrass the Kremlin.

During a third day of procedural wrangling in the case, the judge ordered an adjournment until Thursday, saying the court could appoint a lawyer if Khodorkovsky's high-powered defence team did not arrive by then.

Khodorkovsky, 42, is keen to run in a parliamentary by-election on Dec. 4. He would be disqualified if the Moscow city court throws out his appeal before the poll, but simply by registering he could start a campaign to embarrass the Kremlin.

The high-profile battle between Khodorkovsky and the Kremlin has dominated Russian politics since his arrest in 2003, hurting investor confidence and resulting in the messy dismemberment of the oil major Yukos, which he once controlled.

A pale and thin Khodorkovsky, sentenced to nine years in prison in May, sat inside the glass defendants' box and spoke calmly. He was once ranked as Russia's richest man.

On two previous days, Khodorkovsky has asked for adjournments since lawyer Genrikh Padva is in hospital. Supporters have accused prosecutors of trying to dash through the process to scupper his poll chances.

The court ruled on Monday that he should be defended -- against his wishes -- by three other lawyers but on Tuesday they left his defence team in place and the judge said he should be defended by the hospitalised Padva.

Second lawyer Yuri Shmidt is abroad.

"I insist on my position to allow the participation of these two lawyers to avoid risking a mistrial," Khodorkovsky said.

Prosecutors' claim
Prosecutors said Khodorkovsky, who made his money in the freewheeling 1990s, was deliberately delaying the appeal and asked for his requests to be rejected.

"What is happening is an obvious attempt to block court hearings and an attempt to delay them further," said Prosecutor Dmitry Shokhin.

"Khodorkovsky is perfectly aware that Shmidt has left Russia... and knows that Padva is in hospital."

Although he has scant chance of winning the by-election, a political campaign would give him access to media and a platform to argue his case that the Kremlin engineered his prosecution to divide up Yukos and neuter a powerful opponent.

The Kremlin denies any role in Khodorkovsky's case. Officials say he is just a corrupt businessman who got caught.

Supporters said election officials had so far failed to register him as a candidate.

Anton Drel, a member of the legal team, said prison officials said they had sent registration documents on Sept. 15 while election officials said they had not received them.

"(Election officials) have not yet received Khodorkovsky's registration documents. This has been done deliberately so he cannot register in time. The documents were sent on Sept. 15," said Drel.

Reuter via CNN, 9.20.2005