Jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has declared a hunger strike to protest against the extension of his detention in a notorious Moscow prison, a Russian radio station reported on Monday.
Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest man, was arrested in 2003 after falling foul of Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin, and is serving an eight-year sentence for tax evasion after a trial his supporters dismissed as a farce.
Last week Khodorkovsky’s detention in Moscow’s notorious Sailor’s Rest prison was extended by three months by the judge in a second trial which could lead to him being sentenced to an additional 22 years on charges of theft and money laundering.
The Russian News Service radio station posted a letter on its website (www.rusnovosti.ru), addressed by Khodorkovsky to the head of the Russian Supreme Court, demanding that President Dmitry Medvedev be informed about the illegality of the decision to extend his detention.
“I declare an indefinite hunger strike until I get confirmation that Medvedev has received … comprehensive information” about the decision, the letter says.
Khodorkovsky last year went on hunger strike for almost two weeks in protest at the treatment of a jailed colleague who was gravely ill with HIV/AIDS. He ended the protest when Vasily Alexanian was moved to a civilian clinic.
Representatives of Khodorkovsky did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.
(Writing by Conor Humphries; editing by Andrew Roche)
Abbott rebuffs health briefing offer
Health Minister Nicola Roxon says Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has not yet bothered to attend a Government briefing on its new health policy.
But Mr Abbott’s health spokesman says the briefings are a farce and a “political stunt” aimed at making the Government look like it is taking a bipartisan approach.
During yesterday’s health debate Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged Mr Abbott to cooperate on health policy, but Mr Abbott is rebuffing his calls because he says Mr Rudd insists on “lying” to discredit his record as health minister.
Ms Roxon has told AM a briefing was offered when the plan was released.
“So far he hasn’t taken up that offer,” she said.
“I think it’s strange that Mr Abbott seems to be so determined to throw mud that he’s not actually prepared to pick up the toolbox and be involved in this debate.”
But Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton says the Government’s offer is not genuine.
“We’ve had briefings on legislation during the course of the last 12 months which have been a complete farce,” he told ABC 2.
“I’ve had a goon sitting in with the departmental officials from the minister’s office. The department officials refuse to answer the most basic of questions.
“I’m not going to be part of a political stunt process.”
Mr Abbott has told 2GB radio he will not work with Mr Rudd on the policy unless he stops making the claim that the Opposition Leader “ripped” $1 billion out of the health system in his time as health minister.
“One minute he is smiling at me and saying, ‘Come on, let’s work constructively together’, and the next minute he gets all snarly and accuses me of doing terrible things to the health system,” he said.
“I think it’s very hard to work with someone who is basically calling you a liar, and that’s what Mr Rudd does.”
Mr Rudd has been endorsed by most commentators as the winner of yesterday’s health debate.
Mr Abbott was forced to make negative attacks in the absence of a Coalition health policy, while Mr Rudd presented a more positive front.
Both “worms” on Channel 9 and Channel 7 also favoured Mr Rudd.
But Mr Abbott says he is not worried.
“The worm has never liked Liberals. It never liked John Howard. If the worm had its way Mark Latham would have been prime minister.”
Mr Rudd is today meeting with West Australian Premier Colin Barnett to discuss his health plan, which proposes a 60 per cent funding takeover of public hospitals.
WA, New South Wales and Victoria have raised concerns about the proposal, but if they do not agree to it at the April 19 COAG meeting the Government will take it to the voters with a referendum.