IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 525 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the 

trial and sentencing of Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky and the seizing of 

assets and state-directed takeover of the Yukos Oil Company by the 

Government of the Russian Federation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 28, 2005 

Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mr. LANTOS) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 

respect to the trial and sentencing of Mikhail B. 

Khodorkovsky and the seizing of assets and state-directed takeover of the Yukos Oil Company by the Government of the Russian Federation. 

Whereas the Russian Federation is an invited Member of 

Group of Eight (G–8) nations and presumes to be a 

member of the family of democratic nations; 

Whereas the United States supports the development of democracy, civil society, the rule of law, and free markets 

in Russia and in other independent states of the former 

Soviet Union; 
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•HRES 525 IH 

Whereas the rule of law, the impartial application of the law, 

and equal justice for all in the courts of law are fundamental principles in all democratic societies; 

Whereas investment, both foreign and domestic, in the Russian economy is vital for growth and raising the standard 

of living of the citizens of Russia; 

Whereas property rights are a bulwark of civil society against 

encroachment by the state and a fundamental building 

block of democracy; 

Whereas the trial and sentencing of Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky 

and Platon Lebedev, former top officials of the Yukos Oil 

Company, raises questions about selective and discriminatory application of the law in Russia; 

Whereas the actions of the Government of the Russian Federation against the Yukos Oil Company, including the 

taking of its principal asset, Yuganskneftegaz, have 

caused United States investors in the Yukos and 

Menatap companies to lose vast amounts in investments 

and shareholder value; and 

Whereas such activities are contrary to the rules and practices of a market economy and undermine Russia’s eventual membership in the World Trade Organization: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) law enforcement and judicial authorities of 

4 the Russian Federation failed to provide Mikhail B. 

5 Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev the full measure 
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•HRES 525 IH 

1 of their rights under the Russian Constitution to de2 fend themselves against the alleged crimes; 

3 (2) Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev 

4 were not accorded a fair and transparent trial before 

5 a truly independent and impartial judiciary; and 

6 (3) Russian authorities should act to prove 

7 that— 

8 (A) the cases against Mikhail 

9 Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev are not po10 litically motivated; 

11 (B) the legal system is not simply an in12 strument of the Kremlin; 

13 (C) the state judicial system is truly inde14 pendent; and 

15 (D) the state is not engaged in a campaign 

16 to selectively reclaim or renationalize private 

17 enterprises. 

Æ