But the Court of Appeal , unusually , took only a couple of weeks to process Khodorkovsky 's appeal , reducing his sentence by one year and invalidating any electoral plans on his part until the end of his sentence .
Thus he had a hope of avoiding prosecution .
The Court of Appeal , unusually , took only a couple of weeks to process Khodorkovsky 's appeal , reducing his sentence by one year and invalidating any electoral plans on his part until the end of his sentence .
Thus he had a hope of avoiding prosecution .