Russia 's highest court Tuesday ordered a review into the second conviction of jailed former Yukos oil company boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner Platon Lebedev.

The decision by Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev overturned an earlier ruling by the same court in May that upheld the two men's 2010 convictions for embezzlement and money laundering charges.

The case will now head back to the Moscow City Court for review.

Mr. Khodorkovsky's legal team greeted the ruling with wary optimism.

"Either this is just another special operation by the court or it is the beginning of a movement towards justice. I very much hope it is the latter," lawyer Vadim Klyuvgant told Interfax news agency.

Mr. Khodorkovsky, once Russia 's richest man, was originally convicted along with Mr. Lebedev on fraud and tax evasion charges in 2005. Just before their sentences were due to expire, they were sentenced in 2010 to an additional 14 years on new charges that their defense team argued were politically driven.
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