Good analogy. It is much like the demise of Trotsky, Radek and Zinoviev. The Moscow Times even has an article today suggesting that:
Putin in Stalin's Footsteps Doesn't mention the oligarchs, only Putin's supposed military ambitions. Designed to frighten western investors and help the oligarchs (who happen to run the media in Russia).
Lavelle writes this as if this were a case of Khodorkovsky's property rights and ignores the crimes involved. Does Lavalle think shooting a mayor and others or locking minority stockholders out are included in Khodorkovsky's property rights?
The last time I looked the State Department had issued cautions to warn American businessmen in Russia of prevalent extortion and fraud. It even mentioned that some felt the need to hire their own security for personal protection while doing business over there.
The owners of Russian media are pretending when they say Khodorkovsky respects the law.