BERLIN. Guido Westerwelle, the chairman of the Free Democratic Party and its Bundestag parliamentary group, has called on Chancellor Angela Merkel (Christian Democratic Union) to intervene on behalf of former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky at the Conference on Security Policy, which begins today in Munich. “I consider it necessary for the chancellor to address the Khodorkovsky case clearly during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit,” Westerwelle told the Berliner Zeitung. “In Munich, it should be made clear to Mr. Putin: The Russian leadership is damaging its own image abroad and causing faith in the democratic development of its country to dwindle and with that faith in its reliability.”

Westerwelle pointed out that the first trial against the former Yukos head already had shown serious failings in regard to due process of law. “If another politically motivated trial against Khodorkovsky follows now, then Germany – especially as the holder of the G-8 and EU presidencies – cannot remain silent on this,” he emphasised. In addition, he said, by its membership in the Council of Europe, inter alia, Russia has committed itself to uphold human rights. Russia must uphold them, he said. “That Khodorkovsky has been kept in prison under miserable conditions for years is unacceptable,” Westerwelle stressed.


("Berliner Zeitung", 09.02.2007)