UN opens investigation into Magnitsky torture claims

The Daily Telegraph

The United Nations has launched an investigation into the death and alleged torture of Sergei Magnitsky, the Russian lawyer who perished in jail after accusing senior Moscow officials of orchestrating a $230m (£145m) fraud.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, has begun procedures to investigate the death in jail of Mr Magnitsky after an application from Redress, a London-based anti-torture human rights group.

The UN confirmed: “There has been engagement by the special procedures mechanisms with the Russian Federation in relation to the case of Mr Magnitsky, in accordance with normal diplomatic channels.”

Mr Magnitsky died in custody while awaiting trial, a year after being arrested on tax avoidance charges by the same police he alleged were involved in the alleged fraud.

It is claimed he was refused access to his family, forced to live in squalid cells, and denied medical treatment after developing pancreatitis. He died in November 2009.

Before his imprisonment, Mr Magnitsky was working for Hermitage Capital Management, a large hedge fund investor in Russia. He allegedly discovered evidence purporting to show that $230m of tax paid by Hermitage had been returned to criminals claiming to be owners of Hermitage’s Russian companies, the largest alleged tax rebate fraud in Russia’s history.

Mr Magnitsky’s investigations and subsequent death have become a national scandal for Russia.

The European Union last month passed a law allowing member states to ban 60 Russian officials implicated in the crime from entry and to seize their assets. The US is in the process of passing a similar law.

Bill Browder, Hermitage’s boss, said: “The indignation over the travesty of Sergei Magnitsky’s death is spreading like wildfire around the world, and now it’s even touched the UN.” срочный займ на карту онлайн онлайн займ https://zp-pdl.com/fast-and-easy-payday-loans-online.php zp-pdl.com займ онлайн