Press Release
Hermitage Capital

28 February 2013 – A major French opinion poll was published showing that 85% of the French people support the adoption of a Magnitsky Act in France. The poll results were released ahead of today’s meeting between French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin to show the widespread support in France for imposing EU-wide sanctions on Russian officials involved in the torture and murder of the whistle-blowing lawyer.

In a poll conducted by the French polling organization IFOP, an overwhelming majority of French population supports the idea of introducing legislation sanctioning Russian officials who commit human rights abuses with visa bans and asset freezes – measures similar to the those already adopted in the United States under the “Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act,” signed by U.S. President Barack Obama last December.

The polster asked the question: “The United States has recently passed a law to prohibit entry and block accounts and assets held by some Russian citizens suspected of crimes, but have not been pursued by the Russian justice. Would you support or oppose similar legislation to be adopted in France?,” and 85% of French respondents answered that they would support it.

Andre Gattolin, French Senator, said:  “With this type of public support we are now in a strong position to push through a resolution in the French Senate and National Assembly to freeze assets and ban visas for the Russian officials who killed Sergei Magnitsky and perpatrators of other similar crimes.”

“The overwhelming sentiment of the French public to support ban visas and asset freezes for the Russian human rights abusers will hit these people right where it counts. France is one of the key countries where they like to spend their ill gotten gains. They better enjoy their last remaining French holidays because their days of partying in Paris and Monaco are numbered,” said a Hermitage Capital representative.

 

For further information please contact:

Hermitage Capital
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Survey published here:
http://www.metrofrance.com/111129-Les-Francais-et-les-libertes-publiques-et-le-respect-des-droits-de-lHomme-en-Russie.pdf

IFOP polling organization:

http://www.ifop.com/?option=com_in_brief