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Putin 'to pardon' jailed former oil tycoon Khodorkovsky Putin 'to pardon' jailed former oil tycoon Khodorkovsky
(35 minutes later)
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will soon pardon jailed former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will soon pardon jailed former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
Mr Putin told reporters he had received a request from Khodorkovsky, who has been in custody for a decade, to pardon him on humanitarian grounds. Mr Putin said he had received a request from Khodorkovsky - in custody for a decade - to pardon him on humanitarian grounds as his mother is ill.
But representatives of the Kremlin critic deny a request was made. Khodorkovsky's representatives said they were unaware of any such request.
Khodorkovsky, who is regarded by many as a political prisoner and has long insisted he is innocent, is currently due to leave prison next August. The ex-tycoon's supporters say he is a political prisoner and he has long insisted his innocence. He is currently due to leave jail next August.
Mr Putin's comments come a day after Russian MPs backed a wide-ranging amnesty for at least 20,000 prisoners.
Speaking to reporters after his annual news conference in Moscow on Thursday, Mr Putin confirmed the amnesty would apply to the two members of Pussy Riot still in prison and Greenpeace activists detained for their protest at a Russian oil rig in the Arctic.
Analysts say Mr Putin may be trying to ease international criticism of Russia's human rights record ahead of February's Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
'Serious punishment'
Khodorkovsky, 50, and fellow defendant Platon Lebedev were convicted of stealing oil and laundering money in 2010. They were already serving time for tax evasion.Khodorkovsky, 50, and fellow defendant Platon Lebedev were convicted of stealing oil and laundering money in 2010. They were already serving time for tax evasion.
The European Court of Human Rights criticised the trials but rejected claims they were politically motivated.The European Court of Human Rights criticised the trials but rejected claims they were politically motivated.
As head of the now defunct oil giant Yukos, Khodorkovsky was once Russia's richest man.As head of the now defunct oil giant Yukos, Khodorkovsky was once Russia's richest man.
'Mother ill' President Putin said he had not received a request from Khodorkovsky in the past.
Speaking to reporters after his annual news conference in Moscow on Thursday, President Putin said he had not received a request from Khodorkovsky in the past.
"And then quite recently he wrote such a document and addressed a request for a pardon to me," Mr Putin said."And then quite recently he wrote such a document and addressed a request for a pardon to me," Mr Putin said.
"He has already been in detention more than 10 years, this is a serious punishment and he is referring to humanitarian circumstances as his mother is ill.""He has already been in detention more than 10 years, this is a serious punishment and he is referring to humanitarian circumstances as his mother is ill."
"I think given the circumstances we can take the decision and very soon the decree to pardon him will be signed," Mr Putin said."I think given the circumstances we can take the decision and very soon the decree to pardon him will be signed," Mr Putin said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP news agency the request had been personally "signed" by Khodorkovsky.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP news agency the request had been personally "signed" by Khodorkovsky.
But Khodorkovsky's main lawyer, Vadim Klyuvgant, told Russia's Ria-Novosti news agency: "He has not made a request and we do not have information that someone has made a request on his behalf. But Khodorkovsky's mother, Marina, told BBC Russian she did not know about any clemency request by her son.
"I spoke to Mikhail last Saturday for about three minutes, but we did not discuss this. He only asked about my health," she said.
Khodorkovsky's main lawyer, Vadim Klyuvgant, told Russia's Ria-Novosti news agency: "He has not made a request and we do not have information that someone has made a request on his behalf.
"We do not have such information although there were requests to pardon him over the years from different individuals.""We do not have such information although there were requests to pardon him over the years from different individuals."