Release of Mikhail Khodorkovsky (Russia.)

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With the nightmarish beginnings of Mr. Khodorkovsky's judicial case in Russia some time ago, through his release yesterday, one now knows about the magical, chaotic and whimsical tone of administration in Russia at this point.  In fact, given the case of Mr. Khodorkovsky and his judicial pummeling at court in Russia and by the prison system there, one again is averse to possibly paying attention to the internal workings of the judiciary there aside from the simple application of the newer purported freedoms, civic and political and otherwise, set down in that country's constitution during the 1990's Yeltsin years.  That various political and other freedoms have been now instituted in Russia and its people have read the new rules, now that there have been 20 years or more since the inauguration of such rights in that country, it remains to be seen after this long time in what way the system involving the new rights will work for free - thinking people and those who wish to become and remain politically active, for instance as Kremlin outsiders.  

While I am sure that people like Mr. Khodorkovsky themselves have tremendous respect for the Kremlin, one reason why he appeared to allow the prosecutors to catch up to him and then that he even appeared at trial, and this despite the dubious character of the charges carried out against him, the idea that political activism and forces for liberal change in Russia continue to be muted by the regime are evident in every news report about the subject that has been published since some time ago.  Along with this is a kind of anti - Western tone that pervades many Russian establishments and institutions that has an attitudinal bent warranting, i.e., some Adlerian psychological analysis and evaluation.  While this will never happen, obviously many people are happy the Russian administration is able to deal with the politics of it and has allowed the release of Mr. Khodorkovsky to authorities in Germany who helped free him.  His family and admirers are surely very happy with the German authorities and Chancellor Merkel for their help and this might be grist for the mill of European politics that continues to appeal to Eastern Europe, and there are editorials about this every day, to simmer down politically.  The only judicial case in Russia I am able to remember in recent times or going as far back as the 1980's, for example, that has the same profile is the Scharansky story that was so well - publicized and covered in U.S. national papers for some time.  Mr. Scharansky is apparently alive and well somewhere, and still greatly influencing  international policy toward Russia and the former soviet union.  Mr. Khodorkovsky, inasmuch as he has vowed to stay away from politics, might continue at present as just quietly talking to people about his circumstances and career that have been in primitive and repressive circumstances, and as a commentary on his home country now might speak outside of Russia on the whys and wherefores of his own path through business and administration and his sentence, and in a place now where one finds the listening much more accommodating in mind(s.)  

Links:

RFERL Podcast.  RFERL News Coverage of Mr. Khodorkovsky's Release.  UK Guardian World News.