Jailed Menatep Owner Receives Support Letter From European MPs

The European Parliament has sent jailed businessman Platon Lebedev a letter expressing support to the former director of Menatep Group, convicted for eight years in the Yukos case. The letter published by Lebedev’s press centre Thursday was originally timed to coincide with his 49th birthday on Nov. 29.

In the letter the MPs congratulated Lebedev on his birthday, and said they hoped his next birthday would be spent in a happier environment.

“We are very sorry that in spite of your country’s laws that you have to spend this day far from your family and home… We hope that you can celebrate your next birthday in good contitions, surrounded by family, children and grandchildren.”

The parliamentarians assured Lebedev of their support in the European Council.

“We assure you that we will most attentively continue to follow your case and your movements on the legal field. We will also do our best to attract attention of the European Council.”

“We are anxiously looking at your imprisonment and the recent move to the Vorkuta district. One of our colleagues, Milan Khoracek, observed the trial of you and Mikhail Khodorkovsky in May, and left Moscow certain that the regulations that could have guaranteed a safe and justified verdict had not been followed.”

“We are concerned that you gain access to the possibilities, guaranteed to you by you state’s international obligations, allowing a new fair trial under fair conditions, including a possible appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

”Meanwhile, we hope that you are allowed to see your family in the penal colony, or that you will be moved to a colony nearer your home,“ the letter concluded.

The letter was signed by 31 MPs from Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, Luxemburg, Great Britain, Austria, Spain, Italy, Danemark, Malta, Sweden and Ireland.

Moscow News, 12.08.2005