Stop the Untouchables. Justice for Sergei Magnitsky.

Russian Officials Implicated in Death of Sergei Magnitsky Could Face Sanctions

Washington Free Beacon

Russian officials implicated in the prosecution and death of corruption whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky could soon face new European sanctions on their travel and financial assets.

U.S. lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the Magnitsky Act in December 2012, which placed visa and asset bans on 18 Russian officials either involved in Magnitsky’s case or accused of human rights abuses.

Magnitsky died in prison in 2009 after uncovering a $230 million tax fraud by Kremlin authorities and was found guilty of tax evasion last year—a posthumous conviction that was widely condemned by human rights advocates.

European governments are now taking steps toward implementing similar sanctions in their own countries.

The Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution by a wide margin last week urging Russian officials to fully investigate Magnitsky’s death. It directed member governments to enact “targeted sanctions” if Russia fails to respond adequately.

Immigration authorities in the United Kingdom have also acknowledged those linked to the Magnitsky case in their visa approval instructions.