AlQa'dah 5, 1433, Sep 21, 2012, SPA -- A Russian court on Friday overturned a ruling which had reduced the sentence of Platon Lebedev, the former business partner at the Yukos oil company of jailed Kremlin critic MikhailKhodorkovsky, dpa reported. A regional court in Arkhangelsk sent the case back to a district court the northern city of Velsk for a fresh review of his sentence. Lebedev's prison term was cut in August from 13 years to nine years and eight months, with a release date set for March. The Velskcourt had justified the early release by citing a recent change in Russian laws concerning business-related crime. The two men were convicted in 2005 on tax evasion charges, and in2010 for oil theft from Yukos, as well as related money laundering charges. Many critics have said the jail sentences are politically motivated. -- SPA
