Former Russian Oil Tycon found guilty in embezzling / money laundering

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former Russian oil’s businessmen has been found responsible of misappropriation at his second trial in Moscow. A judge said Khodorkovsky and his business partner Platon Lebedev had been involved of embezzling property and money laundering. Khodorkovsky is already serving 8 years punishment for fraud and tax evasion.

Khodorkovsky, 47, was due to be freed in 2011, but the second assessment could see him jailed until 2017. His followers uphold the case is politically motivated.

The two defendants were conducted into court in handcuffs by armed guards. In the sealed glass dock he waved at his parents, the small courtroom fully covered with news reporters and cameras. A vast majority of protestors could be heard outside the courtroom, chanting "Sovereignty" and placed Putin (Russian prime minister) in jail. Police made a number of protestors take into custody. After declaring the blameworthy finding the judge ordered to the journalist and other to go outside the court room before starting to read out the remaining verdict. Several days could be spent for giving the full details verdict.

In the latest trial, Khodorkovsky and Lebedev are charged of thefting hundreds of millions of tonnes of oil from the Yukos oil company and laundering the continues between 1998-2003.

He has condemned the charges as rubbish.

Khodorkovsky has said that a state that devastates its best companies and beliefs only the civil servants and the special services is a poor state.

Many critics think that the government desires the former industrialists kept behind bars for a long time because he confronted the former President Vladimir Putin by funding the opposition. Last week in a televised session Russian Prime Minister Mr. Putin referred to Khodorkovsky said he believed a thief goes into prison.

Khodorkovsky's lawyers said Mr Putin's remarks "taken out all reservations about who puts pressure on the court", adding that his remarks would help us in an appeal against the verdict, should Khodorkovsky be found guilty.

Germany said it was pursuing the case very closely. Talking to the News agency, German Ambassador to Russia Ulrich Brandenburg said. "This case is considered the test of the rule of law in Russia.