UPDATE ON KHODORKOVSKIY ATTACK

UNCLAS MOSCOW 004083

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR RS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON KHODORKOVSKIY ATTACK


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovskiy
suffered a deep cut to the face in an April 14 attack in a
prison barrack, one of his lawyers and director of his press
center confirmed to us. Our interlocutors told us his team
would not seek to press charges against the attacker because
Khodorkovskiy would not consent to such a move. They also
noted unconfirmed reports that the European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) had begun communicating with the GOR on
Khodorkovskiy's March 21 appeal to that body. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) On April 14 a fellow inmate reportedly attacked
former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovskiy with a improvised
knife. Yuriy Schmidt, one of former Yukos CEO Mikhail
Khodorkovskiy's lead lawyers, confirmed to us on April 17
that Khodorkovskiy had suffered a deep cut to the face that
required stitching following an attack by a cellmate with an
improvised knife. In a separate conversation, Maria
Ordzhonikidze, director of the press center for
Khodorkovskiy's legal team, added that the attack took place
at three in the morning while Khodorkovskiy slept in a prison
barrack shared with approximately 60 to 80 prisoners. Prison
authorities later found two other knives in the possession of
the attacker, who, according to Ordzhonikidze, confessed that
he had wanted to poke out one of Khodorkovskiy's eyes. Both
Schmidt and Ordzhonikidze told us that the motivation for the
attack was unclear, and they would be seeking more details.
Schmidt criticized the authorities for trying to downplay the
incident, and said he would hold a press conference on
Thursday with further details.


3. (SBU) Both our sources confirmed that the attacker was
unlikely to face charges over the incident. Schmidt said
that he would not move to press charges without
Khodorkovskiy's consent. Khodorkovskiy would not grant
consent, Schmidt said, both our of fear of reprisal from
other prisoners and prison authorities and because of his
personal pride. Ordzhonikidze said the authorities should
have pressed charges regardless of Khodorkovskiy's consent,
and noted reports that the government would investigate why
prison authorities were not planning to do so.


4. (SBU) Ordzhonikidze also noted unconfirmed reports that
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) had begun
communicating with the GOR on Khodorkovskiy's March 21 appeal
to that body. She noted that other appeals, including those
regarding Khodorkovskiy's treatment in prison, were ongoing.
BURNS