With no explanation the prison where Khodorkovsky is being held cut his mother’s Monday visiting time to only one hour.

Usually Marina Khodorkovsky’s visits last three hours (true, that includes “access”, i.e. the time needed to reach the block). On Monday the visit was interrupted after only one hour. At present it is difficult to say what the cause was. Perhaps the prison administration had something they still wanted to say to Khodorkovsky, even after Friday’s court hearing. Perhaps those running the detention centre considered a three hour visit from his mother would distract him from more important matters: a recount of cellmates, perhaps, or the systematic clearing away of the lid from some water canister.