Stop the Untouchables. Justice for Sergei Magnitsky.

Canada can help Ukraine by targeting Russian corruption

Globe and Mail

As quickly as the Sochi Olympic flame was snuffed, so was the brief respite on politically motivated repression and arrests in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. On Monday, mass arrests of Russian pro-democracy activists began in earnest after eight protesters were sentenced for protesting against the Putin regime in May, 2012. And news is emerging that Russia has put troops on alert in the western military district.

Among those arrested in Moscow were former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov, anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny, members of Pussy Riot – including Canadian landed immigrant Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – and others. The group was protesting outside of a courthouse and then shifted to a nearby square where the police moved in.

Radio France journalist Elena Servettaz witnessed police arresting bystanders whose only mistake was to stop and silently watch the small protest. Activists tweeted on Tuesday that Mr. Nemtsov had been sentenced to 10 days in prison and Mr. Navalny for seven.

What is alarming, is that these new cases were argued in front of the same judge who actively participated in the prolonged detention of Russian whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, who died in custody in 2009 after being beaten in jail and denied medical treatment. He died in prison of pancreatitis in 2009.

In November, 2012, The United States adopted “Magnitksy” legislation that targets Russian officials who engage in and benefit from corruption and the abuse of human rights in Russia. It bans such individuals from traveling to the U.S. and freezes their U.S.-based assets. A European version of the law has been actively debated in the EU and in January, The Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe recommended the adoption of Magnitsky legislation. In Canada, Liberal MP Irwin Cotler introduced a similar private members bill in 2011.