A report by European parliamentarians calling for an investigation into the death of human rights lawyer Sergei Magnitsky has been backed by experts from the Russia Studies Centre at the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), who have again renewed their demands for action to be taken against those suspected of involvement in his murder.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee today issued a draft resolution urging Russian officials “to fully investigate the circumstances and background of Mr Magnitsky’s death and the possible criminal responsibility of all officials involved”.
Dr Andrew Foxall, Director of the Russia Studies Centre, said: “This is yet another call to action from European authorities demanding an investigation into Magnitsky’s death in custody, and highlights the widespread condemnation in Europe of the fact not a single person has been held responsible.
“The PACE report suggests that Russian authorities have done little, if anything, to investigate Magnitsky’s death. If Russia is to prove it is not riven with corruption and human rights abuses, its authorities must provide a full investigation into Magnitsky’s death and bring those responsible to account.”
The Russia Studies Centre at the HJS has been working closely with Mr Magnitsky’s former client William Browder, of the Hermitage Capital investment fund, to highlight the case and spearhead a campaign to put pressure on the British Government to do more to prevent Russian officials from benefiting from crime and corruption.
A poll released earlier this year by the Russia Studies Centre revealed almost three quarters of voters in Britain would support the introduction of a European “Magnitsky Act”, with just 14 per cent of people believing the British Government was doing as much as could be reasonably expected to stop money from Russian crime and corruption entering the UK.