I'd rather say this goes with the Zeitgeist, so your question should probably be rephrased from "why him" to "why not also Snowden".
As if there is any other kind of trial in Russia. Quick introduction on Russia trials : http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Tribunal_%28episode%29
>Germany is also trying to get Timochenko out of Ukraine
yep, one more "prisoner of conscience" of Khodorkovsky type
>so your question should probably be rephrased from "why him" to "why not also Snowden".
as i already said, there is nothing in common between Khodorkovsky and people like Snowden. Snowden challenged the State, the Order of Things on the right/wrong principles, whereis Khodorkovsky being at the time among largest beneficiaries of the Order of Things challenged a specific person for personal [beneficial] position in that Order of Things.