Soros blasts ex-Yukos CEO's detention

[chiburb]

Philanthropist George Soros, who has donated more than $1-billion (U.S.) to promote democracy in Russia, called the continued detention of Russia's richest man “political persecution” and an ominous development.

Oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was arrested Oct. 25 at an airport in Siberia amid a four-month investigation of his Yukos oil company, was denied bail Tuesday. He faces tax evasion and fraud charges.

Mr. Soros told a U.S.-Russian investment symposium Wednesday that it's right for a court to determine whether Mr. Khodorkovsky is guilty of tax evasion. “But keeping him in prison when he can put up bail is political persecution,” as was his arrest by camouflaged security men, Mr. Soros said.

The philanthropist said the action was the latest violation of the rule of law in Russia. He said others included a raid on the offices of his Open Society Institute last Thursday by camouflage-clad “goons” and the recent beating of Otto Latsis, a prominent Russian journalist and critic of the government.

(The best thing about Soros is that ANYTHING he says or does will be reported in the business news... an audience that might otherwise not hear any dissenting opinion about Bushco or Pooty-Poot.)

http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031113.wbsoros1113/BNStory/Business/

[Born_a_Democrat]

1. And I heard yesterday on NPR he just gave $5 million to Moveon.org

Holy crap...if Moveon's re-vote goes like the last one and Dean gets the cash...he'll REALLY be able to compete with Shrub financially

[JanMichael]

2. Not that I don't appreciate his money but Soros isn't exactly...

...Mr. Niceypoobunnypants when it comes to bidness. Just take a gander at his push to take over Societe Generale which he practically forced into privatisation back in 1988.

The situation in Moscow is not a simple tax evasion case, it's a power struggle between Oligarchic Business Thugs & Bureaucratic Thugs.

I have no love for those that stole their way into Billionaire status like all but one of the Russian Oligarchs.

[el_gato]

3. one oligarch fighting another

it's better to keep some objectivity in these affairs

[TheLastMohican]

4. Soros is knowledgable in Russian laws?

"The philanthropist said the action was the latest violation of the rule of law in Russia. He said others included a raid on the offices of his Open Society Institute last Thursday by camouflage-clad “goons”"

Camouflage-clad guys are probably SOBR operatives, this is their standard uniform.

On a further note. How does tax-evasion in the amount of 32 bln. roubles (1 bln. dollars) play in his book. That is 500000 elderly people provided with pensions and health-care. But I guess Soros doesn't care for russian elderly people, screw them anyway. He is just performing the great zionist plan of depopulating Russia to the point of leaving enough to service the rich men and oil wells.


And who called him philantropist? Philantropist is someone doing the charity work and other non-profit business. Soros earned billions on former Soviet Unions's assets both natural resources and human resources. Philantropist my a....s!!!

[emad]

5. They both just got raided.

QED

[Aidoneus]

6. oh, the poor oppressed billionaires..

not allowed the fleece the wealth of a nation in peace! The tragedy! :cry: