WASHINGTON – Supporters of the late Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky made a final push ahead of a U.S. vote set for November 16 that would move toward sanctioning officials implicated in his death.
Senator Benjamin Cardin and William Browder, Magnitsky’s former employer, were among those advocating passage of the legislation at a November 15 hearing of the U.S. Congress’s Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
Magnitsky died in harsh prison conditions in 2009 after implicating Russian officials in a scheme to defraud the government.
The House of Representatives bill would deny visas to and freeze the U.S. assets of implicated officials.
It has been joined to legislation that would grant Moscow permanent normal trade relations with Washington.
The measure is expected to pass, after which it would then need Senate approval.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on November 15 that Moscow will have a "tough" response if the bill is adopted.
Senator Benjamin Cardin and William Browder, Magnitsky’s former employer, were among those advocating passage of the legislation at a November 15 hearing of the U.S. Congress’s Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
Magnitsky died in harsh prison conditions in 2009 after implicating Russian officials in a scheme to defraud the government.
The House of Representatives bill would deny visas to and freeze the U.S. assets of implicated officials.
It has been joined to legislation that would grant Moscow permanent normal trade relations with Washington.
The measure is expected to pass, after which it would then need Senate approval.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on November 15 that Moscow will have a "tough" response if the bill is adopted.