Posts Tagged ‘european parliament’
Magnitski Sanctions: “a strong political signal against corruption and impunity”
European Parliament adopted last week “Sanctions Magnitski” to send a strong political signal against corruption and impunity in Russia. Stephanie Brancaforte from Avaaz explains the aim of this action.
The New Federalist: Could you remind us what about is the vote on “Magnitsky Sanctions” in committee in the European Parliament this week?
Stephanie Brancaforte: The so-called Magnitsky sanctions target Russian officials involved in the death of the international lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. MEP Kristiina Ojuland submitted a proposal for the EU governments to make a list of about 60 suspected officials and to impose an EU-wide visa ban and asset-freeze on the lot. The EP Foreign Affairs Committee – to whom Avaaz delivered its campaign last week – adopted this proposal by 62 votes against two last week.
Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer, died in November 2009 after being held for 358 days in a pre-trial detention centre. He had been arrested himself after alleging systematic and large-scale corruption and theft from the Russian government sanctioned by officials. Though suffering from serious ill health, he was refused adequate medical treatment and died eight days before he would have had to be released or brought to trial.
TNF: Is it so important that Europe take a political action on this subject?
Stephanie Brancaforte: The death of Sergei Magnitsky is part of a pattern of government injustice and manipulation of the judiciary in Russia. More recently, the condemnation of Pussy Riot focused world attention on the tightening repression in Russia:clamping down on public protest, electoral fraud, media intimidation, banning gay rights parades for 100 years, and detaining and beating opposition leaders like chess champion Garry Kasparov.
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MEPs call for sanctions against Russian officials involved in the Magnitsky case
The foreign affairs committee called on Thursday for an EU-wide visa ban and assets freeze against Russian officials responsible for the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, the subsequent judicial cover-up and the harassment of his mother and widow.
In a recommendation adopted by an overwhelming majority, the committee calls on the Council to draw up a list of officials responsible for the death in custody of Magnitsky, to impose EU-wide travel restrictions on them and to freeze their and their families’ financial assets in the EU.
They also call on Russia to conduct a credible and independent investigation encompassing all aspects of this tragic case.
Climate of impunity
The arrest, detention and death in custody of Sergei Magnitsky represent a well-documented and substantial case of disrespect for fundamental human rights, MEPs say, pointing to the stalled investigation of the case and the current climate of impunity in Russia, despite the findings of the Russian President’s Human Rights Council in 2011.
The officials involved have been exonerated and even assigned to the posthumous case, the text underlines.
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European deputies pass resolution on political use of justice in Russia
The European Parliament on Thursday passed a resolution on political use of justice in Russia. The European deputies believe that plans to unseat deputy Gennady Gudkov from “A Just Russia” party is an attempt to put up barriers to legitimate activities of an opposition member.
The European Union’s top legislative body voted for the resolution in the run-up to a Russian State Duma hearing on stripping Gudkov of his parliamentary mandate scheduled for September 14.
The resolution notes that the human rights situation in Russia has radically deteriorated over the past few months. Instead of resolute steps to protect the basic rights and freedoms, Russia has taken a number of measures aimed at curtailing these rights, the resolution’s authors say.
Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said earlier in Strasbourg that possible unseating of opposition deputy Gennady Gudkov, lack of progress in investigation into the death of Sergei Magnitsky, an auditor of Britain’s Hermitage Capital Management Fund and the sentence passed on the Pussy Riot punk group signaled a trend that was a source of concern for the European Union. займы на карту без отказа займы онлайн на карту срочно www.zp-pdl.com www.zp-pdl.com займ на карту
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European Parliament Condemns Russian ‘Political’ Use Of Judiciary
The European Parliament has passed a resolution condemning Russian officials’ use of the country’s judiciary for political purposes.
The resolution expresses “deep disappointment with the verdict and the disproportionate sentence,” handed down on August 17, against three members of the punk protest group Pussy Riot.
It says the Pussy Riot case adds to a recent rise of politically motivated intimidation and prosecution of opposition activists.
It expresses concern about an eight-year sentence against opposition activist Taisia Osipova as well as criminal investigations that target leading opposition figures like Aleksei Navalny, Boris Nemtsov, and Sergei Udaltsov.
The resolution calls on Moscow to find and try the murderers of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and human rights activist Natalya Estemirova.
It also calls for with a credible, independent investigation of anticorruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky’s 2009 death in custody. A defendant went to trial this week in connection with that case. быстрые займы на карту hairy girls https://zp-pdl.com/best-payday-loans.php https://zp-pdl.com/online-payday-loans-in-america.php payday loan
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US Sentate Approves Magnitsky Bill
Evgenia Chirikova recently testified before the European Parliament on Vinci’s role in the St. Petersburg-Moscow toll motorway project which threatens to destroy the Khimki forest. Vinci is a French company that Chirikova claims is wrought with corruption and special interests.
Chirikova’s team supported their testimony with a graphic photo exhibition documenting the arrest and use of violence against protestors. Captions on the photos read “approved by Vinci.”
According to Chirikova’s org Save Khimki Forest, the hearing represents an unprecedented step in EU/Russia relations, a step which activist see as one in the right direction.
Chirikova’s team also celebrated a victory last month as the US Senate passed the Magnitsky Bill, formally known as the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act. The bipartisan bill is named after Sergei Magnitsky , a Russian attorney who implicated Russian officials of tax fraud. Magnitsky was arrested and tortured while in police custody, where he eventually died.
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OJULAND: “MAGNITSKY ACT” IS A SURGICAL STRIKE ON CORRUPTION”
“I am extremely pleased with this visit, as it allows Americans to get acquainted in-depth with the EU policy towards Russia which is our strategic partner – said Ambassador Vale del Almeida greeting MEP Kristiina Ojuland – reporter on ‘Magnitsky Law’ in premises of the EU delegation.
On the one hand, none of the serious problems of international agenda as the conflict in Syria, or Iran’s nuclear program can be solved without Russia’s participation, on the other hand, we can’t practice “real-politics” turning a blind eye to human rights problems in Russia. Genuine partnership requires an open exchange of views, including criticism. “, – continued del Almeida.
Arriving of the MEP Kristiina Ojuland to Washngton at the voting day for “Magnitsky Act” in the Senat is not a mere coincidence. More recently Ojulnad, appointed as a reporter on the case of Magnitsky in the European Parliament, – will participate in the conference “Towards Democratic Russia” with Senators Benjamin Cardin and Kelly Ayotte – which will be held on June 27 at the Congress.
Further Ojuland planned the meetings with representatives of different political forces, in particular, with Senator McCain. “We live in times of an individual, not collective responsibility, so the replacement of “Jackson-Vanik amendment’ to the “Magnitsky Law” is a fair and modern solution for fighting corruption – said Ojuland. – ‘Magnitsky Law” – is a surgical strike on corruption, it is not directed against the Russian people. ” Despite the approval of the Senate to become law, “bill Magnitsky” should get the green light in the U.S. House of Representatives that will not happen before the autumn of this year.
However, the opinion of senators has significantly advanced the struggle for justice for the deceased Sergei Magnitsky and against corruption in Russia in general. “In the European Parliament there is a growing interest for the idea of” ‘Magnitsky law” among representatives of different political forces.
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FPI and Freedom House joint event: “Toward a Democratic Russia”
Yesterday in Washington DC, the Foreign Policy Initiative and Freedom House along with Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Kelly Ayotte, Kristiina Ojuland MEP and former Russian PM Mikhail Kasyanov debated how Russia can move towards democracy in the future.
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EU-Russia Summit: deficiencies in the rule of law in Russia cannot be swept under the carpet. Tunne Kelam MEP, Laima Andrikiene MEP and Bernd Posselt MEP
EPP Group in European Parliament
“Concerns about deficiencies in the rule of law and the abuse of human rights in Russia cannot be swept under the carpet by EU leaders attending this weekend’s EU-Russia Summit”, said Members of the EPP Group Tunne Kelam, Laima Andrikiene and Bernd Posselt. “In particular, the cases of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Sergei Magnitsky should be raised. These summits are an opportunity for frank discussion and the EU should not lose this opportunity.”
“The EU’s dependence on Russian energy exports can sometimes make us reluctant to criticise the Kremlin and point out our concerns. However, if the EU really cares about its own values, it should not hesitate to stress those values to others. Russia is a member of the Council of Europe and must be held to its commitments under international law. This is no time to go soft on Russia”, said Laima Andrikiene MEP.
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ALDE calls for EU wide visa ban on Russian officials involved in the Sergei Magnitsky case
The ALDE Group in the European Parliament has today launched a procedure inside the European Parliament seeking to establish a common EU list of officials responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, for the subsequent judicial cover-up and for the on-going and continuing harassment of his mother and widow.
11/04/2012
The ALDE Group in the European Parliament has today launched a procedure inside the European Parliament seeking to establish a common EU list of officials responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, for the subsequent judicial cover-up and for the on-going and continuing harassment of his mother and widow.
The proposal is to impose and implement an EU-wide visa ban on these officials and to freeze any financial assets they, or their immediate family, may hold inside the European Union, along the lines quietly done, or under consideration, in a number of countries.
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