US blasts Russia over Magnitsky conviction

The Hill

The Obama administration and lawmakers lashed out at Russia on Thursday after the country sentenced a dead whistle-blower on tax evasion charges in the country’s first posthumous trial.

President Obama signed human rights legislation named after Sergei Magnitsky last year. The legislation places travel and financial restrictions on Russians whom the State Department identifies as human rights violators.

“We are disappointed by the unprecedented posthumous criminal conviction against Sergei Magnitsky,” said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. “The trial was a discredit to the efforts of those who continue to seek justice in his case. Despite widely publicized credible evidence of criminal conduct resulting in Magnitsky’s death, the authorities have failed to prosecute those responsible.

“We continue to call for full accountability for all those responsible for Magnitsky’s wrongful death and will continue to support the efforts of those in Russia who seek to hold those individuals accountable.”

Lawmakers were equally appalled.

“Russia continues to do damage to itself with the shameful, posthumous conviction of whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the bill’s author. “Sadly, we have come to expect this sort of behavior from the Putin regime. Such a verdict does no further harm to Sergei, though it must be torturous for his family and friends. What this does is continue the downward spiral of Russia’s reputation as a law-abiding state and member of the international community.”

And Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) called the conviction “shameful.”

“Today’s conviction of Sergei Magnitsky – three years after his death – is nothing short of a message to Russia’s activist community of the repercussions of opposing the state,” Menendez said. “The trend toward authoritarianism in Russia and the accompanying escalation in violations of human and civil rights is reason for grave concern.” unshaven girls hairy girl https://zp-pdl.com/emergency-payday-loans.php https://zp-pdl.com/get-a-next-business-day-payday-loan.php быстрые займы онлайн