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Viewing cable 06MOSCOW4083, UPDATE ON KHODORKOVSKIY ATTACK

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06MOSCOW4083 2006-04-19 04:45 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Moscow
VZCZCXRO7196
OO RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #4083 1090445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 190445Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4360
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
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