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I am a representative of the German Social Democratic Party.
Our faction has sent me here in as a sign of our interest in what is happening
and to show that we are following the events.
My trip here is one of the manifestations of the fact
that our German parliament is paying a lot of attention to this case.
It is being discussed in all factions and in all political parties of the Bundestag.
I cannot come to any final conclusion at this stage, or any verdict,
but my personal view is that the economic crimes which Khodorkovsky and Lebedev are indicted with,
and the form this trial is taking, the mind boggling quantities of oil
which they managed to appropriate according to the prosectuion
and the huge sums of money they allegedly pocketed as a result do not stand up to scrutiny.
Morevoer, as an outside observer I do not like the confinement conditions for the accused.
Before the sentence is passed they are not proved guilty and therefore they are considered innocent.
That these two should be held in a glass cage, like two hamsters...
This is my personal human impression.
I think that at the moment representatives of all the political factions of the Bundestag agree
that this trial is important, that it will be indicative of whether President Medvedev
can be true to his word when he says that the judicial system in Russia is becoming independent and fair.