Romney backs Russia trade bill only with human rights added
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would support legislation to upgrade U.S. trade relations with Russia only if Congress also passes a measure to go after Russian human rights violators, his campaign said on Thursday.
“Gov. Romney believes that permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) should only be granted to Russia on the condition that the Magnitsky human rights bill be passed,” Lanhee Chen, policy director for the Romney campaign, said in a statement.
Chen was referring to legislation being considered in Congress that would require the U.S. government to impose sanctions on people believed responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, an anti-corruption lawyer who died in a Russian prison, and other human rights violators.
“(Romney) disagrees with the Obama administration’s attempts to scuttle the Magnitsky bill and its overall reluctance to shine a light on human rights abuses in Russia and the Putin government’s backsliding on democratic principles,” Chen said.
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Romney backs Russia trade bill only with human rights added
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would support legislation to upgrade U.S. trade relations with Russia only if Congress also passes a measure to go after Russian human right violators, his campaign said on Thursday.
“Gov. Romney believes that permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) should only be granted to Russia on the condition that the Magnitsky human rights bill be passed,” Lanhee Chen, policy director for the Romney campaign, said in a statement.
Chen was referring to legislation being considered in Congress that would require the U.S. government to impose sanctions on people believed responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, an anti-corruption lawyer who died in a Russian prison, and other human rights violators.
Chen also accused the Obama administration of trying to “scuttle” the bill. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told lawmakers in June the administration would prefer a “clean” PNTR bill without the Magnitsky legislation attached.
Romney, who faces President Barack Obama in the November 6 election, has taken a tough line on Russia, which he has called the “No. 1 geopolitical foe” of the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview aired on Thursday, took aim at Romney, calling his criticism of Russia “mistaken” campaign rhetoric and suggesting a Romney presidency would widen the rift over the anti-missile shield the United States is deploying in Europe.
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Dem platform differs from GOP on trade with Russia
The 2012 Democratic party platform released Monday differs from the GOP platform on trade with Russia.
Congress, as early as next week, could take up a bill to grant permanent normal trade relations(PNTR) to Russia.
The Democratic platform, like the GOP document, supports PNTR. But, unlike the GOP, Democrats are not demanding that PNTR be linked to a separate human-rights bill.
Last week, the GOP platform stated: “Russia should be granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations, but not without sanctions on Russian officials who have used the government to violate human rights.”
It said the GOP supports “enactment of the Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act as a condition of expanded trade relations with Russia.”
The Democratic platform makes no such mention of the Magnitsky bill, which would slap financial and visa sanctions on those accused of murdering Russian whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky.
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Sen. Cardin optimistic on Magnitsky bill
Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, interviewed at the Convention Center, says he’s optimistic that the House will pass his Magnitsky legislation.
It’s an amendment to the normal trade relations with Russia bill and would bar Russian human rights violators from entering the United States. It’s named for the Russian lawyer who defended dissidents and who died in prison after being denied medical treatment.
“It’s an outrage,” Cardin says, with strong emphasis, “something you just can’t be silent about.” He goes on, “Russians I talk to have encouraged me. They say ‘our country can do better than that.’”
He emphasizes this is a bipartisan cause, that he’s working closely on every step with Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl and has been in touch with the House Republican leadership. The Obama administration has pushed against including the Magnitsky amendment.
But Cardin said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s letter in response to his letter asking to bar the human rights violators “showed some interest.”
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Russia says it will respond tit-for-tat to any British sanctions over lawyer’s prison death
Russia sternly warned Britain on Monday that it will respond tit-for-tat if London imposes any travel restrictions that would target Russian officials allegedly involved in the prison death of a Russian lawyer.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that Moscow asked London about a Sunday Times report claiming that British authorities had compiled a list of 60 Russian officials who could be denied entry over their alleged involvement in Sergei Magnitsky’s death in November 2009.
“Obviously if London introduces any sanctions against Russian citizens Russia will respond appropriately in line with diplomatic practice,” Lukashevich said.
Magnitsky died in custody of untreated pancreatitis after being arrested by the same Russian government officials he had accused of corruption.
His case further tarnished Russia’s rights record and prompted the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in June targeting Russian officials involved in the case. The Kremlin has responded angrily to the American action and threatened to take countermeasures.
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Magnitsky: Russia To Quiz UK On Prison Death List
Britain reportedly bans 60 Russians linked to the prison death of an anti-corruption lawyer – and Moscow demands an explanation.
Russia’s ambassador to Britain is expected to demand an explanation from the Foreign Office about reports that the UK has blacklisted Russian officials for their alleged role in the death of anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.
Home Secretary Theresa May has sent a list of 60 Russians, including judges and intelligence officers, to the British embassy in Moscow banning them from entering the UK, according to The Sunday Times.
The Foreign Office has issued a statement saying it does not allow individuals into the UK where there is evidence of human rights abuses.
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Russia to quiz Britain over Magnitsky list – report
Russia’s ambassador to Britain will demand a response from the Foreign Office after reports that London might have blacklisted Russian officials for their alleged role in the prison death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, RIA news agency said on Sunday.
The Sunday Times reported that British Home Secretary Theresa May had sent a list of 60 Russians, including judges, intelligence officers and prosecutors, to the British embassy in Moscow and that they could be banned from entering the country.
Relations between Moscow and London have been strained over security, diplomatic and human rights issues for years, particularly since the 2006 murder in London of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who died from poisoning with radioactive polonium-210.
Britain and other nations also condemned Russia for the 2009 killing of anti-corruption lawyer Magnitsky – probably beaten to death, according to the Kremlin’s own human rights council.
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60 Russians banned from entering UK over Magnitsky case
British Home Secretary Theresa May has sent a list o f 60 Russian citizens barred from entering Great Britain in connection with the Magnitsky case, London’s Sunday Times newspaper reported.
On the ‘blacklist’ are judges, police officers and the prosecutor’s office.
Minister for Immigration Damian Green reported about the details of the blacklist in a letter to a British parliament member. In the letter, the minister said the list of 60 officials compiled by the U.S. Congress committee was sent to the British embassy in Moscow. It will be applied when U.K. visa appliations are considered, Green noted.
The British embassy in Moscow gives no comments so far on the information.
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Keep Russia Civilised
‘Political repressions are becoming massive’, – Russian opposition politician Garry Kasparov told EU Reporter. – ‘After Putins’ inauguration the authorities are on the offensive, because the legitimacy of Putin is questioned by the overwhelming majority of people, especially in big cities. It became obvious that the wave of protests is not going down – the temperature is high and the society is boiling. As a response the authorities try to behead the protest movement’.
Within the group of opposition politicians Kasparov had found a hideaway in Tallinn ‘to be sure that there is no unwelcome interventions’ and the group can discuss the strategies for autumn without unpleasant surprises.
Kasparov knows what he is talking about, because just a few days before he had been seized was by Russian forces without any reason on his way to the court hearing of the political feminist group ‘Pussy Riot’.
‘The authorities have chosen to frighten the opposition politicians and politically active citizens in general, using the most primitive methods’, – continues Kasparov. – ‘They signal that any citizen, even the one just participating in a peaceful demonstration can become a victim of the police brutality’.
The situation has aggravated in recent weeks because criminal procedures have been launched against the well-known opposition figures Alexey Navalny and Boris Nemtzov. Charges against Garry Kasparov were not dropped, although his unlawful arrest is well documented, filmed and transmitted through internet.
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To learn more about what happened to Sergei Magnitsky please read below
- Sergei Magnitsky
- Why was Sergei Magnitsky arrested?
- Sergei Magnitsky’s torture and death in prison
- President’s investigation sabotaged and going nowhere
- The corrupt officers attempt to arrest 8 lawyers
- Past crimes committed by the same corrupt officers
- Petitions requesting a real investigation into Magnitsky's death
- Worldwide reaction, calls to punish those responsible for corruption and murder
- Complaints against Lt.Col. Kuznetsov
- Complaints against Major Karpov
- Cover up
- Press about Magnitsky
- Bloggers about Magnitsky
- Corrupt officers:
- Sign petition
- Citizen investigator
- Join Justice for Magnitsky group on Facebook
- Contact us
- Sergei Magnitsky