Posts Tagged ‘house’
US Magnitsky Bill Collides With New Russian Nationalism
Next week, the United States Senate is to take up the Magnitsky Act, a bill that would ban visas for, and freeze the bank accounts of, about 60 Russian officials believed to have been involved in the arrest and death of Sergei Magnitsky.
Reviled by Russian authorities, the legislation has become the touchstone in relations between the West and a newly nationalist Russia under Vladimir Putin.
Three years ago last week, Magnitsky, a 37-year-old Russian lawyer for an American investment fund, died in a Moscow jail cell. His defenders say he was jailed and killed for exposing the biggest tax fraud in modern Russian history. To this day, no one in Russia has been put on trial.
So last week, the US House of Representatives approved their version of the Magnitsky Act. The measure passed by 365 votes to 43, more than an 8-to-1 margin.
By the end of December, a version of the Magnitsky Act is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama.
Moscow responds
Not so fast, say Russian officials.
“If this is supported by the executive branch, Russia will not leave it unanswered,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters in Moscow. “We will have to respond – and our response will be tough.”
The spokesman said that approval of this “anti-Russian law” would “inevitably have a negative impact on the entire range of Russian-US relations.”
Read More →
Facebook
Twitter
Google Buzz
LinkedIn
del.icio.us
Google Bookmarks
Yahoo! Buzz
Tumblr
StumbleUpon
FriendFeed
NewsVine
Digg
U.S.–Russia Trade Relations Linked to Human Rights
A bill that would grant the Russian Federation Permanent Normal Trade Relations, or PNTR, comes with a condition: punishment of Russian officials for human rights abuses resulting in the death of tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009.
Magnitsky’s story “is emblematic of corruption, human rights abuses and impunity in Russia,” said U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).
Magnitsky was a tax lawyer who exposed a $230 million tax fraud—the largest known tax refund fraud in Russian history—carried out by officials of the Russian government. McGovern told Magnitsky’s story during the House debate on Nov.15: “Lawyer Sergei Magnitsky was wrongly arrested and tortured in a Russian prison. Six months later, he became seriously ill. He was denied medical attention despite 20 formal requests.
“On the night of November 16, 2009—three years ago tomorrow—his condition became critical. Instead of being treated in a hospital, he was taken to an isolation cell, chained to a bed, and beaten by eight prison guards for one hour and 18 minutes, which resulted in his death.”
Chief Executive Director of Hermitage Capital Management William Browder, who had hired Magnitsky, testified that 59 of the 60 people involved in the Magnitsky case have been exonerated. Some of the guiltiest have been promoted and received state honors, he said.
The Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act bans visas and freezes the assets of those individuals responsible for the false arrest, torture, and death of Magnitsky. It applies as well to Russian officials engaged in corruption or gross violations of human rights.
Several Congress members with reputations as stalwarts for human rights were reluctant to grant Russia PNTR status because of the nation’s deteriorating human rights situation. Both Democrat Congressman Jim McGovern and Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen stated publicly that they would not have voted in favor of granting PNTR for the Russian Federation if it did not include the Magnitsky Act.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Magnitsky Act overcomes further hurdle in US Congress
The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Magnitsky Act, with 365 to 43 in favour of passing the bill.
The vote went in favour of passing the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 and a law to grant Russian Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), a hangover from the Jackson-Vanik amendment to the Trade Act of 1974, which was originally introduced by the US to prevent the former Soviet Union from enjoying PNTR with the US.
The vote was originally scheduled to take place on 3 August before Congress broke for the summer recess, but was postponed until last week.
Bill Browder, the founder of Hermitage Capital Management and a client of lawyer Magnitsky, who died in November 2009 in pre-trial detention, has been instrumental in bringing Magnitsky’s plight to the attention of the US Congress and was in the US on Thursday testifying prior to the vote on Friday.
Browder, who has compiled a dossier of thousands of pages citing evidence of the 60 Russian officials suspected of collusion in Magnitsky’s arrest, torture and subsequent death, told The Lawyer that the latest vote was hugely significant both for the Magnitsky campaign and for eradicating impunity for human rights abuses in Russia more generally.
“It’s the most important piece of human rights legislation since the Jackson Vanik Act 35 years ago and creates real consequences for human rights abusers in Russia,” he said.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Magnitsky Act Promises to Punish Human Rights Abuse, Open Trade
Last Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that included language—called the Magnitsky Act—that for the first time punishes Russian officials implicated in serious human rights abuses.
The bill was passed by an overwhelming majority—365 to 43—demonstrating strong bipartisan support. The Senate will vote on the Magnitsky Act and the underlying bill during the lame-duck session after the Thanksgiving recess.
The Magnitsky Act is named after the late Moscow lawyer, accountant, and whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, who in 2009 accused Russian police and tax officials of embezzling $230 million from the Russian treasury. For his “crime” of holding government accountable, Magnitsky was jailed, tortured, denied medical care, and finally beaten to death in his prison cell.
Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the Magnitsky case as a “tragedy” while vehemently opposing the U.S. legislation named after the whistleblower. Some perpetrators of the Magnitsky persecution even received medals and promotions.
Instead of conducting a proper investigation to bring those responsible for Magnitsky’s death to justice, the Kremlin has threatened to retaliate, accusing the U.S. of meddling in Russia’s internal affairs.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Magnitsky Act Passed by U.S. House
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a landmark bill that would allow permanent normal trade relations with Russia and at the same time punish Russians suspected of human rights abuses, including those involved in the death of Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.
The bill, which would repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment of 1974 that denied trade advantages to the Soviet Union for hindering the emigration of Jews and other groups, passed with bipartisan support.
The bill will now go the Senate, where its supporters expect it to be approved. It has the backing of U.S. President Barack Obama, who could sign the bill before the end of the year.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday that there will be “tough” but not necessarily “proportionate” retaliation if the bill becomes law, Interfax reported.
Ryabkov said mutual respect was lacking in bilateral relations, and he repeated Russia’s long-standing position that the U.S. is attempting to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs.
The Magnitsky act, named after lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Moscow prison in 2009, stipulates visa bans and a freeze of assets for Russians determined to have been involved in the arrest, abuse or death of Magnitsky, and for others responsible for human rights abuses in Russia.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
House OKs expanded trade with Russia in 365-43 vote
The House passed legislation Friday morning that expands trade with Russia, but also allows for sanctions against Russian officials involved in human rights violations.
Members approved H.R. 6156, which gives Russia and Moldova permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status, in an overwhelming 365-43 vote. The bill was opposed by a handful of Republicans and about three dozen Democrats.
Granting Russia the trade status is a step the United States needs to take if it is going to benefit from the concessions Russia made when it entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) in August. Russia’s ascension marked the end of a nearly two-decade effort to join the WTO, which sets global trade rules and fosters favorable trading terms between members.
House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) on Friday said the bill would help dramatically expand U.S. exports to Russia.
“This bill would allow us to gain important rights and powerful new enforcement tools with respect to one of the world’s largest economies without giving up a single tariff or other concession,” he said. “We could double or even triple U.S. exports to Russia within five years.”
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Magnitsky Supporters Make Final Push Before U.S. Vote
Supporters of the late Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky made a final push ahead of a U.S. vote set for November 16 that would move toward sanctioning officials implicated in his death.
Senator Benjamin Cardin and William Browder, Magnitsky’s former employer, were among those advocating passage of the legislation at a November 15 hearing of the U.S. Congress’s Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
Magnitsky died in harsh prison conditions in 2009 after implicating Russian officials in a scheme to defraud the government.
The House of Representatives bill would deny visas to and freeze the U.S. assets of implicated officials.
It has been joined to legislation that would grant Moscow permanent normal trade relations with Washington.
The measure is expected to pass, after which it would then need Senate approval.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on November 15 that Moscow will have a “tough” response if the bill is adopted. unshaven girl hairy woman https://zp-pdl.com https://zp-pdl.com/get-a-next-business-day-payday-loan.php займы на карту срочно
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Congressman McGovern remarks on the Rule for HR 6156, the Magnitsky Bill
Congressman McGovern remarks on the Rule for HR 6156, the Magnitsky Bill
I thank the gentleman from California, the honorable Chairman of the Rules Committee, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. And I thank him for bringing this rule to the floor. He and I co-authored a “Dear Colleague” in support of the underlying legislation, and it was a pleasure to work with him on this important bill.
M. Speaker, H.R. 6156 joins together two pieces of legislation that deal with trade and human rights in the Russian Federation. The distinguished Chairman has provided a clear description of the provisions in the bill that grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations – or PNTR – to the nations of Moldova and the Russian Federation. It is fairly straightforward.
Simply put, after more than 18 years of negotiations, Russia joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in August. That membership will require Russia – for the first time – to play by the same rules of trade as the United States and virtually every other nation in the world.
But, under WTO rules, the United States cannot take advantage of Russia’s WTO membership unless and until Congress grants Russia “permanent normal trade relations,” replacing the 1974 special bilateral agreement with Russia known as the “Jackson-Vanik” amendment.
The United States is not required to change any U.S. law as a result of Russia’s WTO membership, other than this change to the 1974 trade law. This is in contrast to bilateral free trade agreements, where the United States is required to provide duty-free treatment.
If that were all there was to H.R. 6156, it would pass or fail along familiar lines of trade-related legislation. But H.R. 6156 will become known as a landmark piece of trade legislation not because it grants PNTR for Russia and Moldova, but because it includes Title IV, the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
Get tough with Russia
Boston Herald
The Senate and House next month are expected to approve legislation aimed at punishing people involved in the beating death of a lawyer in a Russian jail cell. Passage will show Russia that, whatever the warm feelings toward Russia of the White House and the State Department, Americans are fed up with growing lawlessness in that country.
The Russians have threatened grave though unspecified retaliation if the provisions, likely to be part of a bill granting Russia the status of “Normal Trading Relations,” pass. Such a designation is needed to trade with Russia now that it has joined the World Trade Organization.
The provisions would deny visas to and freeze U.S. assets (if any) of 60 individuals who had a hand in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who had represented a mutual fund investing in Russian companies. Magnitsky had exposed a ring that stole $230 million in Russian government funds, using documents of the mutual fund, for a criminal gang. His death in 2009 was never investigated as a murder, even though a local police officer wanted to and then-president Dimitri Medvedev called for a “thorough” investigation. Prosecutors said they found no wrongdoing and claimed that Magnitsky died of heart failure.
Read More →
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google Buzz
- LinkedIn
- del.icio.us
- Google Bookmarks
- Yahoo! Buzz
- Tumblr
- StumbleUpon
- FriendFeed
- NewsVine
- Digg
