Last week the Zubovo-Polyansky district court of Mordovia refused repeatedly that the former lawyer of YUKOS Svetlana Bakhmina be released on parole. She was sentenced in 2006 for 6 ½ years. 

Reminding, Mrs. Bakhmina is serving her sentence in a penal colony #14 on the count of embezzlement of shares of Tomskneft, and tax avoidance. First time she was refused being released on parole by the court in May this year, with the grounding that she had had disciplinary penalties, despite the fact those penalties had already been remitted and canceled. The court made his decision despite positive reference on Mrs. Bakhmina received from the colony’s administration. That document also said about impolicy of further keeping Svetlana in custody, as she had been rewarded and had commendations, and had been working in the Section of the Discipline and Order, and she also had admitted her guilt and was repenting on what she had done.      

The Supreme Court of the republic, where Mrs. Bakhmina submitted her complaint, cancelled the district court’s decision. The judges took into consideration the fact that she has two under-aged children and the fact that she was entitled to a short-term leave, for her good behavior. Besides, her pregnancy was also considered (at the moment of taking decision by the Supreme Court Svetlana was on the 4th month).    

That time the case was sent for reconsideration. However, now the result is same: on 10 September the Zubovo-Polyansky court refused Bakhmina again to be released on parole. The grounding remained same: violating the serving sentence.   

The lawyers of the former YUKOS jurist restrain themsleves from giving comments. The Zubovo-Polyansky court refused giving any comments either. An anonymous source in the Mordovian penal service assured a Novaya Gazeta correspondent that after the labors Svetlana Bakhmina and her baby would be placed in the penal colony #2 where there is the special facility for mothers and babies. Possibly, as it is informed by the source, afterwards Svetlana Bakhmina will be released on parole or will be allowed suspension of execution till the child comes of age. However, in case the court refuses that again, then Mrs. Bakhmina will spend the rest of her term – up to 6 June 2011 – in the colony #2 with her child.