MOSCOW, September 22 (RIA Novosti) -- The Moscow City Court has reduced Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev's prison sentences from nine to eight years. The court has also dismissed the charges on the misappropriation of funds to businessman Vladimir Gusinsky.
The court upheld the main charge against the former Russian oligarch and his business partner - the fraudulent acquisition of 44% shares of a research institute.
Khodorkovsky's defense team intends to appeal the court's decision.
"The current hearings are a parody on justice," lawyer Yury Shmidt said after the court handed down its new verdict. He added that the decision had simply undergone a "cosmetic facelift."
Khodorkovsky delivered his statement before the court's recess Thursday evening, pleading not guilty.
His entire statement focused on a single charge he was well prepared to defend - the misappropriation of funds benefiting Gusinsky. Khodorkovsky decisively repudiated the accusation and also denied tax evasion charges.
"There is no concrete evidence, only a scrap of paper that has been used as the basis for accusations," the former Yukos chief executive said.
According to Khodorkovsky, the sentence handed down by the Meshchansky Court "had nothing to do with justice."
"Not only am I not guilty, but also a crime was never committed," he added.
