MOSCOW, September 22 (RIA Novosti) - The Moscow City Court started hearings on the appeal of former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner Platon Lebedev at the fourth attempt Thursday.
The court made this decision despite Khodorkovsky's request to postpone hearings for eight weeks to let him get ready for a proper appeal against a nine-year prison sentence.
Khodorkovsky appeared in court Thursday with his lawyer Genrikh Padva whose illness caused three postponements since September 14. Lebedev has refused to attend the appeal hearings in person or be represented by lawyers.
Khodorkovsky, once the richest man in Russia, was arrested in October 2003 on charges of embezzlement, tax evasion and fraud and sentenced to nine years in prison in May 2005.
So far, the court made no comment on Khodorkovsky's lawyers' statement that the statute of limitation on his main charge - the fraudulent acquisition of 44% shares of a research institute - expired September 21.
The lawyers said that it meant the court might have to clear Khodorkovsky of the charge on which he was given a seven-year sentence. Two more years were added by court on other charges.
State prosecutors have said that the defense was deliberately trying to drag out the trial and delay and disrupt the hearings.
The postponement could give Khodorkovsky some hope to get registered as a candidate for a December by-election to the State Duma, parliament's lower chamber. The deadline for the registration expires on October 4.
