Events Detail

Russia and the Rule of Law

Thursday, September 30

12:00 - 2:00 PM

 Wimbush, Klyuvgant, Satter, Piontkovsky

In 2003, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once one of Russia's wealthiest businessmen as head of YUKOS Oil, was arrested on what most analysts considered trumped up and politically motivated charges of multi-billion ruble tax evasion.  

When Khodorkovsky was eligible for parole in 2008, prosecutors leveled a second series of money-laundering charges against him, accusing him and his business partner of stealing 350 million tons of oil. The Economist described these charges as "Kafkaesque."  Khodorkovsky's second trial is likely to wind up this fall.

The Khodorkovsky case exemplifies the abuse of the legal system, the state's blatant role in property confiscation and redistribution, and wide-spread state corruption, all of which continue to rage in Putin's Russia despite growing internal and international skepticism.

Hudson Institute held a discussion of the state of the rule of law in Russia. Joining this panel discussion were lead defense attorney for Khodorkovsky, Vadim Klyuvgant; Hudson Institute Senior Fellow David Satter; and Andrei Piontkovsky, author of Russian Identity. The event was moderated by S. Enders Wimbush, Senior Vice President, Hudson Institute.

Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center

Hudson Institute

1015 15th St, NW

Sixth Floor

Washington, DC 20005