From Russia with caution
With investors flocking to oil-producing countries, Russia has seen an influx of foreign money flowing into the country—including $2.5 billion US from mutual funds since December. But those investments are not without serious risk, according to Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital.
Browder was at one point the largest foreign investor in the country. But that was before the government tried to seize his assets and allegedly jailed and killed his lawyer.
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Russian Forum In Washington Fomented A Scandal: The Russian-American “Reload” Revived Atmosphere Of The Cold War
Russia’s Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak complained in a speech that economic relations between Russia and the US were “immature” on account of the Jackson-Vanick amendment that banned the sale of sophisticated technologies to Russia and unwillingness of the United States to “develop cooperation across the Pacific”.
Meanwhile Daniel Russel of the US State Department promised abolition of the amendment in the future and said that its abolition would mark establishment of full-fledged relations of partners between our countries. Russel, reported to be the next US Ambassador to Russia, said that outstanding issues between the two countries included human rights observance in Russia, the situation in Georgia, and the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
The American Enterprise Institute’s Richard Pearl said that development of the bilateral American-Russian relations was greatly impeded by undue centralisation of power, absence of free media, and neglect of the law in Russia: “I do not mean Khodorkovsky’s affair alone. There was also the matter of Sergei Magnitsky and many others.” займы без отказа займы без отказа https://zp-pdl.com/how-to-get-fast-payday-loan-online.php https://zp-pdl.com payday loan
Magnitsky Case Highlights Russian Corruption
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.
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Human Rights and Democracy: The 2010 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report – Russia
Despite some minor reforms and encouraging public statements about human rights in 2010, there was no evidence of systemic, far-reaching change. Continuing negative trends included restrictions on freedom of assembly, harassment and obstruction of NGOs and journalists, and racial discrimination and racist violence. The trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev was widely condemned for failing to adhere to basic standards of justice. 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. Frequent reports of grave human rights abuses in the North Caucasus continued. The government also failed to provide full redress to victims of past abuses in Chechnya and elsewhere in the region.
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The Status Quo Fatigue
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
In Moscow, a striking contrast exists between signs of economic revival after the 2008-2009 crisis and the general pessimism among intellectuals, opposition leaders, top analysts, entrepreneurs, and media figures. An investigation of this paradox points to several explanations. Unlike a few years ago, there is a pervasive sense that the political and economic model Vladimir Putin offered the country–stability in exchange for “guided/sovereign democracy,” sustained by state-guided oil- and gas-driven growth–is nearly exhausted. Disillusionment with President Dmitri Medvedev’s ability to translate liberal rhetoric into action and implement meaningful reforms adds to the despondence. The presidential election of 2012, which some view as no more than carefully scripted political theater, offers no hope for change.
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The world has changed
Events in North Africa have led to an upheaval in region’s seemingly stable condition. Until recently the internal problems of these countries had hardly attracted attention while externally they have served as more or less dependable partners of the USA and the European Union. Over the past few months the situation has changed dramatically. Thanks to the Libyan crisis the EU has faced a drop in oil supplies. The catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, meanwhile, has put paid to the already weak conviction that nuclear power could be safe within the EU. On top of this has come a sharp increase in the number of refugees fleeing the North African disturbances which only highlights the lack of an effective strategy within Europe for integrating those who arrived before.
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Five Years For $230 Million Tax Fraud
Vyacheslav Khlebnikov, one of the perpetrators of the $230 million tax fraud exposed by lawyer Sergei Magnitsky has escaped from any significant sentencing for his role in the crime despite the gravity of the crime and in spite of Khlebnikov’s previous criminal convictions. Instead, he has been given a light sentence by Igor Alisov, Chief Judge of the Tverskoi District Court of Moscow.
According to the court, Khlebnikov was sentenced to 5 years in a colony but faced no financial fines and was not required to return the $230 million in stolen funds or identify where the money had gone. The hearing and sentencing took place in a trial which did not have witnesses and which did not require any evidence, instead relying solely on Khlebnikov’s own testimony. The public was not informed of the sentencing despite formal appeals filed with the Russian General Prosecutors Office by Magnitsky’s colleagues, who insisted on a public and transparent hearing.
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Single crusade against the Russian corruption
The Lawyer and bloger Alexey Navalnyj for last three years has created to itself reputation, so to say, Russian Dzhuliana Assandzha or Linkolna Stefensa, journalist Julia Ioffe tells in the article in magazine The New Yorker. In the blog it opens criminal cases of a personal profit in the large Russian oil companies, banks and the ministries. Three months ago Navalnyj has created site RosPil for corruption exposure in state structures. “Since this site has been started, the state contracts for the sum close to 7 million of dollars after Navalnyj and its army have considered their doubtful have been cancelled. The most remarkable that all is Navalnyj undertakes in the country where some reporters and the lawyers investigating similar cases, have been beaten or killed”, – is told in article.
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Sergei Magnitsky: The struggle for justice
Unlawfully arrested, tortured and murdered in Russian prison, Sergei Magnitsky paid for his fight against corruption in Russia with his life. While the severity of this human rights abuse has grabbed international attention, an even graver concern is that the Russian investigation has stagnated, providing no conclusion, justice or punishment for those involved.
Downing Street’s lack of response to the incident is embarrassing. Sixty Russian officials have been implicated in the unlawful arrest, torture and death of Mr. Magnitsky through international investigations. The European Parliament, US Congress and Canadian Parliament have revoked visa rights and frozen the assets of those involved.
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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
