Khodorkovsky gets Maximum Sentence
The Washington Post reports:
U.S. officials have been urging Russia to develop an independent judiciary and other democratic institutions, and they have viewed Khodorkovsky's embezzlement case as the most important test of Russia's willingness. Analysts saw Thursday's sentence of 14 years in prison as a resounding statement by Putin that he will not permit the liberalization that his counterpart, President Dmitry Medvedev, has been endorsing.
Khodorkovsky, who was already serving an eight-year prison sentence on related tax charges, will remain behind bars until 2017, with credit for time served.
President Obama has been attempting to "reset" relations, dealing with Russia in areas of common interest rather than trying to change the way it operates. The Khodorkovsky case hinders that effort, throwing into doubt congressional repeal of Cold War-era sanctions on trade with Russia, and thus perhaps Russia's entrance into the World Trade Organization.
