Yukos boss faces two years in jail
The former head of Russian oil giant Yukos could face a prison term of two years while police investigate $1 billion fraud and tax evasion claims directed against him.
Russian courts have decided that Mikhail Khodorkovsky would be denied bail, describing the country’s richest man as a “political” prisoner.
But the magnate’s lawyers vowed to appeal against the decision, and said theywould be taking their claim all the way to European Court of Human Rights.
Backers of Mr Khodorkovsky insist he was being persecuted for his opposition to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Deputy prosecutor Vladimir Kolesnikov said the length of Mr Khodorkovsky’s imprisonment was dependent on how long it took to prepare the case against him.
Mr Khodorkovsky was arrested last month at gunpoint.
