Putin signs decree pardoning former oil tycoon Khodorkovsky

President Putin has pardoned Mikhail Khodorkovsky, arguably Russia’s best-known prisoner, by decree on Friday, citing humanitarian reasons. The former oil tycoon walk out of jail as a free man later today.

The decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin cites humanitarian concerns as the reason for releasing the businessmen after a decade of imprisonment.

It was not immediately clear when Khodorkovsky would be set free. But his lawyer Vadim Klyuvgant told Russian news agencies that it could happen as soon as Friday.

“Once the decree pardoning Khodorkovsky is signed, it should be carried out immediately,” he said. “So Khodorkovsky may be released today, probably right now.”

But it may take some time before the prison he is in, in the town of Segezha in Karelia, a region in northwest Russia, receives the official notification of the pardon.

By law, if the order arrives late in the evening, the actual release may happen next morning.

The pardon of the former oil tycoon was hailed by foreign leaders.

“I often called for the release of Khodorkovsky,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, welcoming the news.

What Khodorkovsky would do following his release and whether he plant to be a public figure or play a role in the Russian politics is not decided yet.

Over the time of his imprisonment he wrote a number of essays and gave many interviews to comment on the current political events.

Many people among the Russian opposition anticipate to see Khodorkovsky as a prominent opposition leader. 

His lawyer so far suggested that his client will move back to his home in Moscow.

Khodorkovsky, once the richest man in Russia, was arrested in 2003 and charged with tax evasion and fraud. In 2010 he was prosecuted and found guilty of money laundering. He was due for release in August 2014 after two separate Russian courts reduced his sentence.

The upcoming release of the convict, who is seen as a prisoner of conscience by many people in the West, was announced by Putin on Thursday.

Putin said he decided to pardon Khodorkovsky due to the poor health of his mother.

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