On November 29, Platon Lebedev celebrated his 50th birthday. He’s spent the past year in a colony in Kharp village in Yamal where he was recently visited by his lawyers. (He’s so far been imprisoned for over 1200 days). According to Mr. Lebedev’s attorney Evgeny Baru, he’s entitled to apply for early release in 2007 - though his defence team prefers not to discuss the alternative - a possible further money-laundering charge against Lebedev and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in which the period allowed for investigation expires on December 2, though so far no charge has been filed. The lawyer recalled that the possibility of a new criminal case against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev became known in 2005 during the trial of the Yukos executives in Moscow’s Meshchansky Court, when the defence was summoned to the Prosecutor's office to be notified of a decree on the prolongation of the investigative period. At the same time the Prosecutor-General’s office notified Khodorkovsky and Lebedev’s lawyers of its intention to file fresh accusations against their clients - though so far this hasn’t happened. Evgeny Baru told Novaya Gazeta that fresh accusations are only one of the possible outcomes of procedures under the Criminal Code. The Prosecutor-General’s office, for instance, could waive further prosecution or detach Platon Lebedev from any case.

At the present time lawyers for the head of Menatep are preparing a supervisory appeal to the Supreme Court, which they intend to file in either December or January. Evgeny Baru suggests that ‘qualified lawyers will be able to appreciate its arguments’. The lawyer also told Novaya Gazeta about Platon Lebedev’s state of health. He suffers from a number of chronic ailments, including hepatitis.and ‘his health leaves much to be desired. Of course he knows he’s seriously ill but he doesn’t want the medical care on offer. To this point he hasn’t had any medical check-ups at all’. Platon Leonidovich is not one of those people who talk a great deal about themselves. He’s more concerned about his family, friends and relatives. Before the lawyers’ trip beyond the Arctic Circle, we asked them to pass on a few personal questions to him. Novaya Gazeta here publishes his answers.

Do you follow what’s going on politically in Russia and the outside world? What do you think are the most important developments?
I try - though it’s a bit hard here. Everything that’s happening now is significant, including the destruction of Yukos. What’s very disturbing to me is the strengthening of extremist tendencies both internally and in Russia’s foreign policy, tendencies which have led the authorities of some countries, including Russia, to fly in the face of constitutional law, brutally violate human rights and patently attempt to legalize anti-constitutional coups. I suppose the crisis - in fact, the deadlock - in Iraq, and the US elections, both of which have far-reaching geopolitical consequences, are the most significant events of 2006.

What do you expect of 2008 [the year of the presidential election]? How will it affect your fate?
As things are, it won’t affect anything. It’s even premature to make any predictions at all. I think that the sooner they release me, the better it will be both for me and for the ‘opposite’ side. If it takes a long time in coming, then it will be worse both for me and for them.

Does Russia have any chance of development?
It does have a chance. It just depends who takes the chance and who doesn’t. Now they’re not taking it!

Are Russia and a market economy compatible?
I suppose so - but their compatibility is something that has to be fought for.

What do you think of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s ‘A Turn to the Left’?
Let’s not use confusing terminology - ‘left’, ‘right’. Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s article [‘A Turn to the Left’] was taken by me as a prediction about what will happen if the authorities turn their back on constructive social policies. For the truth is that there’s a big risk involved in a left turn in our country, and in its time the right has made plenty of mistakes in this sphere too. I think the right should do everything it can to stop its arrogance and give up its lordly claims, so that social politics can become a reality.

How do you assess your friend’s political aspirations?
I think more or less exactly along the same lines, though I have minor quibbles, mostly to do with the character of the President.

The main figures in the Yukos case have been convicted and their business destroyed. Why do they continue to prosecute mid-level managers? Is it about the money or is it to do with a pathological vindictiveness?
It’s both. But I believe the pathological vindictiveness is innate. I said earlier in court that there are a lot of signs in them that point to a clinical pathology. So any more exact diagnosis has to be left to doctors.

Does Yukos have any chance of revival? If so, under what circumstances?
Yes, it has! But under a different political dispensation in the country.

Any path one takes creates casualties and victims. How much are they justified?
I hope they’re justified in my case and as far as I’m concerned. But I don’t want to bring up my family here. For them this has been the fourth year of a horrible nightmare. Much of what we personally set out to do is quite accurately recorded in the Wall Street Journal.

Are unfortunate people capable of bringing up a happy generation? Is it possible to live for the future while denying yourself freedom and personal well-being?
I’m not unfortunate. And yes, it is possible.

Is it possible to maintain a balance between freedom and justice?
Yes - even in my case.

Do you regret what has happened to you?
I lament what has happened to my country.

(Novaya Gazeta, 30.11.2006)