Russian news agency Interfax reported yesterday that the Chairman of Russia’s Supreme Court, Vyacheslav Lebedev, has ordered the Presidium of the Supreme Court to review the case against Alexei Pichugin, the former Yukos security chief sentenced to life imprisonment in 2005.

Pichugin’s case was transferred to the Presidium following the European Court of Human Rights’ decision regarding his first trial. On October 23, 2012 the ECtHR ruled that Pichugin’s trial was unfair and on March 19, 2013 the ECtHR declared its decision to be final.

The hearing is scheduled for October 2.

Pichugin’s lawyer, Ksenia Kostromina, said that the defence asked V. Lebedev to assemble the Presidium to review the possibility for the annulment of the Pichugin’s sentence. “ECtHR stated that the proceedings in the first case were unfair. The only way to restore Pichugin’s right to a fair trial is a new process,” she said.