Press Release
For Immediate Distribution
2 April 2014 – Today the European Parliament adopted a resolution on targeted asset freezes and visa sanctions on 32 Russians in the Magnitsky case. It is now for the EU Council to decide on its enactment.
The Magnitsky sanctions resolution was adopted with no objections. The EU sanctions list comprises Russian officials and private individuals who played a role in the Magnitsky case both before and after the death of whistle-blowing lawyer, including those Russians who took part in the posthumous trial of Sergei Magnitsky, the first-ever in Russian legal history, in spite of the protests from the Magnitsky family bringing further pain and suffering to his surviving relatives.
“With the passing of this Resolution by the European Parliament, the EU is now joining the US efforts in bringing an end to impunity of those in Russia who were involved in the false arrest and death of Sergei Magnitsky and in the conspiracy he had exposed, and the cover up of those acts,” said William Browder, leader of Magnitsky Justice movement.
The resolution calls for sanctions be imposed as a first step on 32 individuals, including 16 officials that have already been sanctioned by the U.S. Government under the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012. The most senior Russian government officials on the EU sanctions list, who are not on the public part of the U.S. list, are Russian Deputy General Prosecutor Victor Grin, and Head of FSB Financial Counter-Intelligence Department Victor Voronin.
“Today’s adoption by the European Parliament of the Resolution on the common visa restrictions for Russian officials involved in the Sergei Magnitsky case is an important signal into two directions. First of all to the European Member States, which– despite repeated resolutions by the European Parliament- have not moved forward on the Magnitsky sanctions list. On the other hand, to the Russian officials mentioned on the list, who should have understood by now that the human rights violations committed against Sergei Magnitsky will not go unnoticed,” said Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee of the European Parliament Barbara Lochbihler.
“Members from across the political divide have been campaigning for this move for well over a year. The Magnitsky case reminds us that Russia, in spite of its international legal obligations, has for some time now in many cases dispensed with European standards of democracy, freedom and the rule of law even before its recent aggression against Ukraine. I am confident that these targeted sanctions called for by the Parliament, if approved by the Council of Ministers, will have a real effect on those concerned, and will send a clear signal to President Putin that gross violations of universal human rights will bring consequences against the perpetrators,” said Charles Tannock, Member of the European Parliament from the UK.
“As the people involved in this case have not been brought to justice in Russia, we have the obligation to at least forbid their entrance to the EU and freeze their assets that are in our Member States,” said Member of the European Parliament from Estonia Kristiina Ojuland.
“It has been more than four years since the death of Sergej Magnitsky, he is the most prominent victim of the abuse of power by the Russian government, but sadly only one of many. ..In light of current developments, strengthening the EU’s voice on human rights and the rule of law in Russia has become even more important,” said Marietje Schaake, a Dutch politician and MEP.
For further information, please see:
