"There was never any criminal team to involve Khodorkovsky and Lebedev. We are positive about it," said eminent lawyer Heinrich Padva, who represents Khodorkovsky in court, as the defense opened its addresses in the pleadings today.
The lawyer brought forth the defense point on alleged embezzlement and an organized criminal group-an accusation which the prosecution was advancing against Khodorkovsky literally on every point of the indictment.
The prosecution is picturing the Menatep bank not as one of the most successful and efficient companies it really was but as part of a criminal organization, stressed the lawyer.
"The Menatep bank was making investments in its clients' interests in 1994-95.
"We are not denying that we did everything ascribed us-we only say that what we were doing was no crime," he went on.
The defendants deny involvement in a criminal group, stressed the lawyer as he emphasized another point-none of the seventy witnesses questioned in courtroom had ever referred to such a group.
"The Menatep bank made transparency its basic principle thanks to Khodorkovsky's efforts." Numerous audits proved that transparency to rule out the existence of a criminal group there, stressed Mr. Padva.
Significantly, Khodorkovsky's indictment does not specify the role of each alleged group member, and does not say just who was on that group, for that matter. "Who led the group is vague," added the lawyer.
The pleadings will resume on Wednesday , and Mr. Padva will go on with his address.
