Khordorkovsky will fight for political prisoners in Russia

Khordorkovsky told the country's public broadcaster that he planned to use his new base in Europe to work for the rights of political prisoners in Russia. "You can't live with peace of mind when you know there are political detainees rotting in prison," Khodorkovsky told an SRF reporter, who accompanied him on the train that took his family from Berlin to the Swiss city of Basel. According to the website of Mr. Khordorkovsky the purpose of his visit in Switzerland was a family matter, as he and his wife are accompanying their two sons back to school in Switzerland. However, the website stressed that Mr. Khodorkovsky has not yet made any plans about permanent residency in Switzerland or anywhere else.

The journalist asked the former richest individual in Russia if his willingness to fight for the rights of the political prisoners in Russia is a political act. "I think that working to free people unjustly imprisoned is the duty of every citizen. This has nothing to do with politics...I want to do as much as possible to help secure the release of other political prisoners," he replied. According to Associated Press, Mr. Khodorkovsky has indicated that he retains some of the vast wealth that once made him Russia's richest man. When he was prosecuted in his home country for tax evasion and money-laundering, Russian officials sought to seize about $5 billion linked to Yukos oil company, owned by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, that had been deposited in Switzerland. However, the Swiss authorities refused to hand over the money, concluding that his prosecution was politically motivated. Spokesman Christian Hanne said that the former oil tycoon "is grateful for the principled positions taken by the Swiss authorities over the many years of his unjust imprisonment."