Moscow court begins hearing on extension of oil tycoon's custody

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 23, 2003

Moscow court begins hearing on extension of oil tycoon's custody

A Moscow court started a closed-door hearing Monday to decide on an appeal by Russian prosecutors to prolong the detention term of jailed oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

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A Moscow court started a closed-door hearing Monday to decide on an appeal by Russian prosecutors to prolong the detention term of jailed oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Moscow's Basmanny Court will rule on whether to extend the custody of Khodorkovsky, former head of Russia's oil giant Yukos and the richest man in the country, by another three months.

Khodorkovsky was arrested on Oct. 25 on charges of fraud and tax evasion. His two-month pre-trial detention is due to expire onDec. 30 according to initial court order, but Russian Prosecutor General's Office has recently appealed to prolong the detention term until the end of March, after the presidential elections thatincumbent President Vladimir Putin has vowed to run for.

Critics say the arrest of Khodorkovsky and thecontinuous investigation into Yukos are politically motivated to curb the financial and political clout of the oil oligarch, who sponsored opposition parties that threatened Putin's control of the parliament.

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