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Khodorkovsky arrives in Germany after Putin pardon | Khodorkovsky arrives in Germany after Putin pardon |
(35 minutes later) | |
Russian ex-tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has arrived in Germany, hours after being pardoned by President Vladimir Putin and freed from a decade in jail. | |
Russian prison officials said Mr Khodorkovsky, 50, had requested travel papers to see his sick mother there. | |
Mr Khodorkovsky's father told AP he and his wife were still in Moscow but were planning to fly to Germany, where she has been treated in the past. | Mr Khodorkovsky's father told AP he and his wife were still in Moscow but were planning to fly to Germany, where she has been treated in the past. |
Mr Putin earlier said he had signed the pardon on "the principles of humanity". | Mr Putin earlier said he had signed the pardon on "the principles of humanity". |
Mr Khodorkovsky, the former head of the now defunct oil giant Yukos and once Russia's richest man, had been jailed for tax evasion and theft after funding opposition parties. | |
'Personal request' | 'Personal request' |
Mr Khodorkovsky left the penal colony where he was being held, in the Karelia region of north-western Russia, early on Friday afternoon. | Mr Khodorkovsky left the penal colony where he was being held, in the Karelia region of north-western Russia, early on Friday afternoon. |
Russia's Federal Penal Service, quoted by news agency Interfax, said: "In the course of his release, Khodorkovsky asked for a passport for foreign travel. His request was met. | Russia's Federal Penal Service, quoted by news agency Interfax, said: "In the course of his release, Khodorkovsky asked for a passport for foreign travel. His request was met. |
"Once he was released from prison, he left for Germany, where his mother is undergoing treatment. | "Once he was released from prison, he left for Germany, where his mother is undergoing treatment. |
"We stress that the flight took place at his request and his exit documents were processed at his personal request." | "We stress that the flight took place at his request and his exit documents were processed at his personal request." |
The German foreign ministry later confirmed that Mr Khodorkovsky had landed at Schoenefeld airport in Berlin, after the German embassy in Moscow had facilitated his departure from Russia. | The German foreign ministry later confirmed that Mr Khodorkovsky had landed at Schoenefeld airport in Berlin, after the German embassy in Moscow had facilitated his departure from Russia. |
A representative of the German foreign ministry was at the airport to meet him. | A representative of the German foreign ministry was at the airport to meet him. |
Mr Khodorkovsky reportedly flew on a private jet from St Petersburg. | |
The Associated Press (AP) quoted a spokesperson for the energy consulting firm, OBO Bettermann, as saying that former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher had asked the company to provide a plane. | |
Mr Khodorkovsky's mother, Marina, 79, has been treated in Germany before. | Mr Khodorkovsky's mother, Marina, 79, has been treated in Germany before. |
However, Mr Khodorkovsky's father, Boris, told AP that he and his wife were still in Moscow and were planning to fly to Germany on Saturday. | |
Reuters quoted Mr Khodorkovsky's mother as saying she was waiting in Moscow and would leave Russia to see him if necessary. | Reuters quoted Mr Khodorkovsky's mother as saying she was waiting in Moscow and would leave Russia to see him if necessary. |
Mr Khodorkovsky was jailed after being convicted of stealing oil and laundering money in 2010. | Mr Khodorkovsky was jailed after being convicted of stealing oil and laundering money in 2010. |
He had been in prison since 2003 when he was arrested and later convicted on charges of tax evasion. He was due to be released next August. | He had been in prison since 2003 when he was arrested and later convicted on charges of tax evasion. He was due to be released next August. |
The presidential pardon came after Russian MPs on Wednesday backed a wide-ranging amnesty for at least 20,000 prisoners. | The presidential pardon came after Russian MPs on Wednesday backed a wide-ranging amnesty for at least 20,000 prisoners. |
Mr Putin confirmed it would apply to the two members of punk band Pussy Riot still in prison and Greenpeace activists detained for their protest at a Russian oil rig in the Arctic. | Mr Putin confirmed it would apply to the two members of punk band 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 Sochi. | Analysts say Mr Putin may be trying to ease international criticism of Russia's human rights record ahead of February's Winter Olympics in Sochi. |