Press Release
For Immediate Distribution
Russian Government Destroys Evidence in the Magnitsky Death Case In Spite of his Family’s Request to Preserve Them
3 June 2015 – The Russian Government has been destroying records and evidence in the Sergei Magnitsky death case defying his family’s appeals to preserve them.
Sergei Telyatnikov, Head of Butyrka detention center, has notified the Magnitsky family that the detention center has destroyed all records containing data on transporting Sergei Magnitsky to court and therefore could not disclose to the family information evidencing his conditions. This is in spite of numerous requests from the Magnitsky family to the Russian government bodies to safeguard and preserve all documents and evidence concerning him.
“Those involved in destroying the records in relation to the Magnitsky case should realize their responsibility in covering up his torture and murder. Appeals have been filed to all Russian state bodies to preserve this evidence so justice can be obtained for the Magnitsky family in this horrific case,” said a representative of Justice for Sergei Magnitsky campaign.
Sergei Magnitsky described the circumstances of his transportation to court from Butyrka in his complaints and letters to his lawyer.
In a letter to his lawyer dated 8 August 2009, Sergei Magnitsky described them as “meat grinder for labour camps”:
“Justice in these conditions turns into the process of grinding human meat into mince for prisons and labour camps, the process in which a man cannot effectively defend himself, cannot even comprehend what is happening to him, and can only think when all of this is going to end, when can he get rid of this physical and emotional torture and get to the camp where the degree of human suffering …turns out to be less …than here where you are being put through the grinder.”
Sergei Magnitsky detailed one episode of being transported back to his detention center cell from a court hearing at which he challenged his rights violations by the Russian Interior Ministry.
“All of us, about 20 people, were placed in a collection cell… This cell is about 22 sq m, without windows, with one ventilation hatch to the corridor, which also does not have windows… The toilet was not separated and no one could make themselves use it...There was no tap with water… We banged on the door, but for a long time nobody came. Finally, a staffer of the detention center came and asked why we are banging. I said that I needed to take medicine and asked that we be taken to our cells soon. The staffer said that it will happen soon, closed the door and left. In another half hour, we heard the noise of the locks, and I heard that the door was beingopened. But instead of taking us out, they brought in another 20 people who came from other court hearings. Almost all of them started smoking. One could not breath. There were at least 40 people in the cell… We spent like this another hour and a half, and then they started taking us to cells. I ended up in my cell only half pasteleven.….”
For more information, please contact:
Magnitsky Justice Campaign
+44 2074401777
e-mail: info@lawandorderinrussia.org
website: www.lawandorderinrussia.org
