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Khodorkovsky vows to help Russian political prisoners Khodorkovsky vows to help Russian political prisoners
(35 minutes later)
Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said he will do all he can to ensure the release of other Russian political prisoners. Russian former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said he will do all he can to free other political prisoners.
At a news conference in Berlin, he thanked his supporters and German Chancellor Angela Merkel for helping to secure his release. At a Berlin news conference, he said he would not re-enter politics and that "the struggle for power is not for me".
He said he only found out he was being sent to Berlin on the day he was freed. He said he only found out he was going to Berlin the day he was freed, adding that he would only go back to Russia if he was sure he could leave again.
Khodorkovsky was released on Friday, after spending 10 years in a Russian prison for fraud and tax evasion. Mr Khodorkovsky was pardoned and released last week, after 10 years in prison for fraud and tax evasion.
He always insisted that his conviction was politically motivated.He always insisted that his conviction was politically motivated.
At the time of his arrest he was Russia's richest man. and he used some of his wealth to fund opposition parties.At the time of his arrest he was Russia's richest man. and he used some of his wealth to fund opposition parties.
He became the country's best-known political prisoner.He became the country's best-known political prisoner.
Political symbol?Political symbol?
Khodorkovsky said there was a need "to make sure that in Russia and in any other countries in the world there won't be political prisoners". Mr Khodorkovsky said there was a need "to make sure that in Russia and in any other countries in the world there won't be political prisoners".
He said he hoped Western leaders would remember that when they visited President Putin. He said he hoped Western leaders would remember that when they visited President Vladimir Putin.
He said he was not advocating a boycott of next year's Winter Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi, but warned against letting the event become "a great party for President Putin".
He insisted he would not get involved in Russian politics himself, saying: "The struggle for power is not for me".He insisted he would not get involved in Russian politics himself, saying: "The struggle for power is not for me".
But the BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin said it is clear that Khodorkovsky is happy to become a symbol of those who are still imprisoned.But the BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin said it is clear that Khodorkovsky is happy to become a symbol of those who are still imprisoned.
The former tycoon also spent a lot of time thanking his supporters. The former tycoon also spent a lot of time thanking his supporters, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for helping to secure his release.
As well as Mrs Merkel, he mentioned the former German foreign minister Hans Dietrich Genscher.As well as Mrs Merkel, he mentioned the former German foreign minister Hans Dietrich Genscher.
"He made it possible for us to have reached this point now," he said of Mr Genscher."He made it possible for us to have reached this point now," he said of Mr Genscher.
Earlier, the former billionaire told a Russian magazine he did not intend to fight for the return of assets from his disbanded oil company, Yukos.Earlier, the former billionaire told a Russian magazine he did not intend to fight for the return of assets from his disbanded oil company, Yukos.