Posts Tagged ‘PHR’
PHR Applauds US House Approval of Magnitsky Act
PHR applauds today’s vote by the US House of Representatives to pass legislation that would place sanctions on Russians implicated in the torture and death three years ago of a Russian anti-corruption lawyer.
The Magnitsky Act would require the US to place travel and financial restrictions on specific Russian officials associated with the death in prison of Sergei Magnitsky, who uncovered and made public a $230 million fraud involving tax refunds.
“Mr. Magnitsky’s death in a Russian prison was almost certainly the result of torture and deliberate medical neglect,” said Susannah Sirkin, deputy director of PHR. “Three years later, Russia has failed to take significant action to identify and prosecute those responsible — another instance in a consistent pattern of impunity for officials who engage in torture and other human rights abuses. Today’s House vote is a welcome step toward providing Mr. Magnitsky’s family with some measure of justice, and we look forward to seeing the bill become law.”
Read More →
Facebook
Twitter
Google Buzz
LinkedIn
del.icio.us
Google Bookmarks
Yahoo! Buzz
Tumblr
StumbleUpon
FriendFeed
NewsVine
Digg
Destruction of Samples in Magnitsky Case Appears to be a Deliberate and Calculated Attempt to Prevent Justice
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today raised concerns over the cremation of tissue, organs, and other samples in the death investigation of 37-year-old lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Given the ongoing and controversial nature of the investigation, destruction of the samples by the Russian authorities is contrary to best practices within any judicial system.
Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer investigating a corruption case for a client, UK-based investment firm Hermitage Capital Management, died following 358 days in police custody in Moscow in November 2009. Magnitsky, who had uncovered an alleged $230 million tax fraud perpetrated by a group of senior police officers and government officials, was arrested on November 24, 2008 and charged with tax evasion. The high profile case has focused international attention on human rights abuse and corruption in Russia.
PHR’s experts, including a leading forensic pathologist, reviewed available documentation to provide an independent voice in support of the Magnitsky family. In April, Russian officials turned down a formal request by Magnitsky’s mother, seeking PHR’s independent investigation into her son’s tragic death.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Doctors’ NGO Says Magnitsky’s Death Documentation Incomplete
The U.S.-based organization Physicians for Human Rights says it is concerned by the official documentation related to the death in jail of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reports.
Magnitsky, an attorney for the investment firm Hermitage Capital, died in pretrial detention in November 2009. Officials said he died of heart failure. Human rights activists and his former colleagues, however, say he died because he was denied medical treatment.
On July 19, Physicians for Human Rights issued its report on Magnitsky’s death based on 44 documents provided by his relatives. The documents include Magnitsky’s letters to his family and his written requests to the management of the detention center to provide him with medical treatment.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Jail Officials Targeted Over Magnitsky
Investigators said Monday that a criminal case has been opened into two prison officials in connection with the death of Hermitage lawyer Sergei Magnitsky and that they face possible charges of negligence.
Larisa Litvinova, former medical official at Moscow’s Butyrskaya pretrial prison, faces up to three years in prison if charged and convicted of unintentional manslaughter by breach of professional duty, the Investigative Committee said.
Her former superior, Dmitry Kratov, may be jailed for five years if charged with negligence that resulted in death, committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said, Interfax reported.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
