Stop the Untouchables. Justice for Sergei Magnitsky.

Lawyers accuse Magnitsky investigator of exceeding powers – Hermitage

Interfax

The Moscow Bar Association has rejected a request by a Russian investigator, who asked for a defense attorney to be appointed for the family of late Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky against their will, the company said.

“Article 51 of the Russian Penal Code does not stipulate the provision of legal aid in appointing an attorney for the accused. The Bar Association does not provide any particular lawyer by the appointment of preliminary investigation officers,” head of the bar association Alla Zhivina said in a letter to Moscow Central District’s investigator Boris Kibis.

An extract from the document was contained in a Hermitage press release obtained by Interfax on Friday.

“The bar’s letter to investigator Kibis also points out that he exceeded his powers by naming a specific lawyer he would like to ‘appoint’ for the Magnitsky relatives against their will,” the investment fund said.