Magnitsky Case Highlights Russian Corruption

The Windsor Square

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office has named the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year old Russian anti-corruption lawyer killed in police custody in Moscow, as one of the most serious violations of the rule of law and human rights in Russia in its 2010 “Human Rights and Democracy” Report published last week. The 2010 Report highlights the call by the European Parliament for EU-wide visa and economic sanctions against the Russian officials involved in Magnitsky’s death.

“The investigation into the death in pre-trial detention of Sergei Magnitsky due to inadequate medical treatment had not concluded by the end of 2010. On the anniversary of his death on 16 November, the Prosecutor-General’s Office announced that it was extending the ‘preliminary’ investigation until 24 February 2011. On the same day, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for sanctions against officials involved in Magnitsky’s death to prevent them from entering the EU, and to freeze their assets,” said the FCO in the 2010 Report.

The 2010 FCO Report stresses the lack of any outcome to the state investigation into Magnitsky’s death two years ago at the hands of Russian government officials he accused of stealing $230 million of public funds. The FCO voices its support for an independent investigation into the Magnitsky death being carried out by human rights activists.

“No new information emerged in the investigations into the murders of the human rights defenders Anna Politkovskaya and Natalya Estemirova, or the death in custody of Sergei Magnitsky…During 2010 we supported the Social Partnership Foundation’s work to establish a network of independent prison monitoring boards and conduct an independent investigation into the Magnitsky case,” stated the FCO in the Report’s section titled “Human Rights in Countries of Concern.”

The 2010 FCO “Human Rights and Democracy” report was presented to the UK Parliament last Thursday, 31 March 2011.

“It [the Report] is intended not only to shine a light on human rights violations but to inform our work and shape our future policy,” said Foreign Secretary William Hague addressing the launch of the 2010 FCO Report.

The 2010 FCO report summarises the dire state of human rights and the growing corruption in Russia, saying:

“Despite some minor reforms and encouraging public statements about human rights in 2010, there was no evidence of systemic, far-reaching change… Corruption remains a widespread feature of Russian society… Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Russia 154 out of 178 countries. They also reported that 53% of Russians believe that corruption had increased in the country over the past three years. Russia’s Presidential Anti-Corruption Council made little impact in 2010…”

In total, the 2010 FCO Report features 26 countries that present the most serious and wide‑ranging human rights concerns and that had received targeted human rights engagement by the FCO in 2010. займы на карту срочно займы на карту без отказа https://zp-pdl.com/online-payday-loans-in-america.php https://zp-pdl.com/how-to-get-fast-payday-loan-online.php займ на карту онлайн