Committe to Free Mikhail Khodorkovsky & Platon Lebedev

Free Mikhail Khodorkovsky
and Platon Lebedev

Khodorkovsky and Lebedev are Russia's most prominent political prisoners. Their continued imprisonment is a grave injustice. So far 639 people from 86 countries around the world have voiced their concern and joined the Committee to Free Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.Learn More


"The rule of law is simply not part of the Russian tradition. The attempt made after the collapse of communism to build a system with checks and balances and an independent judiciary has failed. Today, justice is routinely corrupted by executive authority or bribes. In politically sensitive cases - the Khodorkovsky affair is the most significant example...
"

-- Masha Lipman, The Washington Post
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Recent Developments

Court cancels two penalties imposed on Khodorkovsky.
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Court turns down investigation appeal in Lebedev case.
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Svetlana Bakhmina's request for clemency is a test of the Russian president's political character.
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Court rules illegal Khodorkovsky's placement in solitary confinement.
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Khodorkovsky comments on President-elect Barack Obama's win.
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Voice of America
editorial says Khodorkovsky case raises serious questions about the rule of law in Russia.
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Voice Your Concern: Sign the Letter

"Courts in Switzerland, Great Britain and the United States have looked at various aspects of this case and have all come to the same conclusion: Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner, Platon Lebedev, were arrested by the Russian Government for political reasons, did not receive a fair trial and are the victims of a grave injustice."

Read the full text of the Open Letter to Leaders of Western Europe and the United States

Fight the Persecution: Support the Committee

Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev supported Russian democracy, promoted good governance and financial transparency. They believed that their country, Russia, should be fully integrated into the global economy. As a result they were seen as a threat by the Kremlin, convicted on trumped-up charges and are currently being held as political prisoners.

Human rights groups in Russia and around the world agree that the rights of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev have been violated.

Now it's your turn to Take Action