JURIST - Paper Chase: Swiss court denies Russian request for Yukos documents

[JURIST] The Swiss Supreme Court Monday denied a Russian request for the transfer of bank documents to Russia [JURIST news archive] relevant to an ongoing investigation into crippled Russian oil giant Yukos [corporate website; JURIST news archive]. The Swiss court held that Russia provided insufficient evidence of wrongdoing to warrant the transfer. The Swiss court has already frozen at least $48 million of Swiss funds tied to Yukos but has refused to release the funds to Russian authorities since they failed to meet Swiss standards for judicial assistance. Once Russia's largest oil producer, Yukos is now struggling financially amidst allegations of unpaid back taxes. In October, former Yukos owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky [MosNews profile; JURIST news archive] was sentenced [JURIST report] to eight years in prison on charges of fraud and tax evasion. In ordering a stay on the transfer of the documents Monday, the Swiss court said that Russia must provide it with translated copies of the court proceedings concerning Khodorkovsky and business partner Platon Lebedev [JURIST news archive]. AP has more. RIA Novosti has local coverage.

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