UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission Calls on the British Government to Urgently Impose Visa Bans and Asset Freezes on Magnitsky Killers and Other Corrupt Officials

Press Release
Hermitage Capital

20 July 2012 – As the Magnitsky bill moves forward in the US Congress, the UK Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission has urged the UK Foreign Secretary to take urgent steps to implement similar visa bans and asset freezes on corrupt Russian officials involved in the torture and death of 37-year whistle-blowing lawyer and in other gross human rights abuses, and to make public the names of blacklisted officials.

“In recognition of the unique position of London as a destination of choice for many senior Russian officials, the government should take action to introduce measures to publicly restrict visas and to freeze the assets of Russian officials involved in serious corruption and human rights abuses as soon as possible,” said the UK Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission in its July 2012 Report (http://www.conservativehumanrights.com/pdf/CHRC_Violations_against_Professionals.pdf).

The Commission has expressed its “grave concern” over the Magnitsky case and stressed that it highlights the problems faced by professionals and businesspeople in countries with “weak or non-existent concept of the rule of law, no independent judiciary and high levels of corruption.”

The Magnitsky case demonstrates that people doing business in Russia “face significant risks not only financially but also personally,” said the Commission.

Robert Buckland MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, said:

“The Commission heard first-hand about the severity of continuing corruption in Russia.  The Magnitsky case is one powerful example that people in Russia are faced with everyday, and persuaded the Commission of the need to tackle this issue directly.”

The Commissions’ recommendations followed a submission by William Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital, during hearings held in the British Parliament by the Conservative Human Rights Commission last November. Sergei Magnitsky was working as an outside counsel for Hermitage Capital when he uncovered and exposed the largest tax fraud in Russian history perpetrated by Russian officials. He testified against the officials involved and was subsequently arrested by the same officials, tortured and killed in custody.

In July 2012, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission issued a report entitled “Professionals in the Firing Line: A report on violations of human rights affecting doctors, lawyers, teachers, business people and other professionals around the world,” which discusses the Magnitsky case and its implications for the UK foreign policy.

The Commission points out that UK has become one the most favored destinations for Russian officials and is calling on the British government to hold Russia accountable to its international obligations under its membership in prestigious international organisations.

“The Commission urges the British government to emphasise that Russia’s membership of European and global organisations such as the Council of Europe, OSCE and World Trade Organisation carries with it the responsibility to operate according to international rules,” points out the UK Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission in its July 2012 Report.

Last week, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly representing parliament members from 56 countries passed with an overwhelming majority the Magnitsky Resolution calling on all OSCE member parliaments to impose visa bans and asset freezes on the Russian officials involved in the Magnitsky case (http://www.oscepa.org/news-a-media/press-releases/1025-parliamentarians-vote-for-visa-ban-bill-rule-of-law-in-russia).

“Step by step every civilized country in the world will ban the people who killed Sergei Magnitsky. There is clearly no justice to be had for Sergei Magnitsky inside Russia, so it is up to governments around the world to punish the ongoing corruption and impunity from outside of Russia,” said a Hermitage Capital representative.

The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission is a body established to highlight international human rights concerns, and to inform, advise and develop the Conservative party’s foreign policy by making human rights a priority.

In its report that will be submitted to the UK Foreign Secretary, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission has welcomed the changes in the immigration policy announced by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in April that would not permit entry to the UK to foreign human rights offenders.

“This is a hugely welcome step and mirrors the positive actions being taken at the EU level and in the US Congress,” said the UK Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission.

The initiative of visa sanctions targeting corrupt foreign officials originated following the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year old Russian lawyer who was tortured and killed in Russian police custody. Since his death, his British employer William Browder has been campaigning around the world to create consequences for those Russian officials involved in the death of Mr Magnitsky and the $230 million corruption he had uncovered, and who in spite of the incriminating evidence, continue to enjoy impunity and state protection in Russia.

 

For further information please contact:

Hermitage Capital
Phone:            +44 207 440 17 77
E-mail:            info@lawandorderinrussia.org
Website:         http://lawandorderinrussia.org
Facebook:       http://on.fb.me/hvIuVI
Twitter:            @KatieFisher__
Livejournal:      http://hermitagecap.livejournal.com/

Author: Impunity Watch Archive