On Monday the jailed oil magnate and outspoken Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky published his first regular column in the opposition Russian weekly The New Times newspaper.

      Earlier Khodorkovsky has regularly contributed to Russian opposition newspapers including Novaya Gazeta and Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

      In his new column Khodorkovsky tells stories about people who became victims of the criminal justice system.

      The New Times editor-in-chief Ilya Barabanov said the column would appear as often as possible. "Mikhail Borisovich will be telling the stories of the people he's met during his time behind bars,” Barabanov said, “I think he will also share his views on the social and political state of our country. … He will do as he wishes.”

      Khodorkovsky, in jail since 2003 for fraud and tax evasion, had his sentence extended to 2013 following a related trial on embezzling oil. His defenders say both cases were politically motivated. Now he is serving his sentence at a prison in the Karelia republic near the Finnish border. 

Sources: Lenta.ru RIA Novosti The Moscow Times