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Prosecutor asks to uphold second verdict for Khodorkovsky and Lebedev

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court began to review the supervisory appeal by Khodorkovsky and Lebedev's lawyers

Photo from ITAR-TASS Archive

Photo from ITAR-TASS Archive

MOSCOW, August 6 (Itar-Tass) - The prosecutor at Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday asked to uphold the second verdict for former YUKOS CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky and ex-MENATEP head Platon Lebedev.

"There are no reasons to amend the court ruling. Various courts including Moscow City Court have repeatedly checked the arguments by supervisory bodies," she said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court began to review the supervisory appeal by Khodorkovsky and Lebedev's lawyers, who insisted on overturning the verdict by the Khamovniki Court handed down in 2010.

Earlier, Moscow City Court checked the verdict saying it was legal and justified. It slightly reduced the prison terms for the convicts.

On December 30, 2010, Moscow's Khamovniki court found Khodorkovsky and Lebedev guilty of theft and money laundering and sentenced them to 14 years in a general regime penitentiary. In May 2011, the prison term was reduced by one year.

On December 20, 2012, the presidium of Moscow City Court further reduced their jail terms to 11 years. Lebedev is due to be set free in August 2014 and Khodorkovsky in October 2014.

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