[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 158 (Tuesday, November 4, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S13911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 258--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE ARREST 
          OF MIKHAIL B. KHODORKOVSKY BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

  Mr. LUGAR (for himself and Mr. Biden) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 258

       Whereas the Russian Federation is now a member of the 
     family of democratic countries;
       Whereas the United States supports the development of 
     democracy, free markets, and civil society in the Russian 
     Federation and in other states of the former Soviet Union;
       Whereas the rule of law, the impartial application of the 
     law, and equal justice for all in courts of law are pillars 
     of all democratic societies;
       Whereas investment, both foreign and domestic, in the 
     economy of Russia is necessary for the growth of the economy 
     and raising the standard of living of the citizens of the 
     Russian Federation;
       Whereas property rights are a bulwark of civil society 
     against encroachment by the state, and a fundamental building 
     block of democracy; and
       Whereas reports of the arrest of Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky 
     and the freezing of shares of the oil conglomerate YUKOS have 
     raised questions about the possible selective application of 
     the law in the Russian Federation and may have compromised 
     investor confidence in business conditions there: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the law enforcement and judicial authorities of the 
     Russian Federation should ensure that Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky 
     is accorded the full measure of his rights under the Russian 
     Constitution to defend himself against any and all charges 
     that may be brought against him, in a fair and transparent 
     process, so that individual justice may be done, but also so 
     that the efforts the Russian Federation has been making to 
     reform its system of justice may be seen to be moving 
     forward; and
       (2) such authorities of the Russian Federation should make 
     every effort to dispel growing international concerns that--
       (A) the cases against Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky and other 
     business leaders are politically motivated; and
       (B) the potential remains for misuse of the justice system 
     in the Russian Federation.

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