portland independent media center  
images audio video
newswire article commentary global

police / legal

One of the greatest criminals of the 20th century, sentenced.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky got a little taste of justice.
Yesterday was yet another Orwellian day for the media. Managing to spin one of the greatest and most viscous criminals in history into a political martyr. A supporter of civil society against the Stalinist Putin.
No mention of the enormity of his crimes, his bloody rise to power. He was portrayed as simply a successful businessman caught up in political intrigue.
Neither was the fact that the former security chief of Yukos, Mr. Pichugin was found guilty on March 24 of organizing the murder of his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Gorin, and an attempt on the life of Olga Kostina, a former aide to Mikhail Khodorkovsky. He was given only 20yrs.
The media's conscious doesn't seem to be bothered by the murder of one its own last year. Paul Klebnikov, editor of Forbes Russia, for daring to write the truth about the oligarchy-not very civil.
"With the publication of the "100 richest," many in the ranking claimed their wealth was grossly over-estimated and were outraged by the intense media coverage. To add to their concerns, the Kremlin's leading auditing and investigative agencies commented that Klebnikov's methodology and conclusions were accurate. This instantly made Klebnikov a very unpopular media figure among Russia's "oligarchs."

Probably the most absurd twist was Rep. Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, standing outside of the court calling it a kangaroo trial. Considering the amount rape and plunder the oligarchs have inflicted on Russia and the millions who have been impoverished and died, nine years with time served is a smack on the wrist.

My apologies, English isn't my first language.

Paul Klebnikov book: Godfather of the Kremlin: Boris Berezovsky and the Looting of Russia