Khodorkovsky not to finance Russian opposition

BERLIN  

Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, freed by a pardon from Russian President Vladimir Putin after 10 years in jail, said in a press conference he would not go into politics or finance Russian opposition.

"One should not see me as a symbol that there are no political prisoners left in Russia," Khodorkovsky told journalists at a December 22 press conference in Berlin.

Khodorkovsky was pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin and released from prison near the Arctic Circle on December 20. It is said German diplomats reportedly helped secure his release.

The former Yukos oil billionaire had been charged and sentenced with fraud and tax evasion 10 years ago.

At the Berlin press conference, Khodorkovsky said he would not withdraw from public life, but would not get involved in Russian politics.

When asked if he would return to Russia, he said he does not know, and if he did he may not be allowed to leave again. He does not know how long he would be staying in Germany, where he has reunited with his family members.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky also said he hopes jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko will be released soon.

“I wish with all my heart that Yulia Tymoshenko will soon be released and I think that President Yanukovych, who recently had frequent contact with the president of my own country, will take an example of what has been done when releasing a particular prisoner even if it's only one particular prisoner at first that's being released,” he said.

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