The following statement from Mikhail Khodorkovsky was read out by his son Pavel at the end of his speech in Gdansk where Lech Walesa presented the 2012 Lech Walesa Award.

President Lech Walesa, distinguished guests, friends! Thank you for bestowing this honour upon me. As my son Pavel points out, I am, for obvious reasons unable to join you today. But I am hopeful for the day when I can thank you in person. President Walesa – Lech – I am moved by your support. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a meaningful acknowledgement. A gesture like this coming from you is important not only to me and to my family and friends, but also to the many hundreds of people — if not thousands already — who are imprisoned in Russian jails because of their civic position.  Each of us was standing up for something different:  some for the right to freely manage and dispose of their property, some for freedom of creativity and self-expression, some for the right to be elected.  Some simply refused to slander themselves.  We are all people with different views, but one thing unites us today — the sense of our own dignity — sense that comes from above, and when you cross over it you stop feeling that you are a human being.  Yes!  We have all had to pay dearly, and sometimes even the people close to us do not consider that it was worth it.  This is precisely why your understanding is so important to all of us.  Thank you once again.

Thank you for Solidarity,

Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky

The following statement from Mikhail Khodorkovsky was read out by his son Pavel at the end of his speech in Gdansk where Lech Walesa presented the 2012 Lech Walesa Award.

President Lech Walesa, distinguished guests, friends! Thank you for bestowing this honour upon me. As my son Pavel points out, I am, for obvious reasons unable to join you today. But I am hopeful for the day when I can thank you in person. President Walesa – Lech – I am moved by your support. (more…)