Justice for Sergei Magnitsky

37-year old Russian anti-corruption lawyer

tortured to death in police custody

September 2010
Sergei Magnitsky’s Testimony

Sergei Magnitsky testified about the

involvement of Russian police in embezzling
US$230 million of state budget funds
 False Arrest
One month after his testimony, Sergei Magnitsky was arrested by the very same police
officers he had implicated in the US$230 million corruption.
He was held in their custody for nearly 12 months, denied medical care and
tortured to death in an attempt to coerce him to change his testimony.
Sergei Magnitsky’s Hand-Written Complaints

Sergei Magnitsky documented his repression

and torture in custody in numerous
complaints filed with Russian authorities
 Death in Custody
His family were not notified of his death in
custody on 16 November 2009

Sergei Magnitsky’s family request for an

independent autopsy was denied by authorities
 Justice for Sergei Magnitsky

A family request to include an independent

observer in the official post mortem examination
was also denied by authorities
 Justice for Sergei Magnitsky
His body was released to the family by
authorities only on condition of immediate burial.
The family request for a wake was denied

Sergei Magnitsky’s 20 November 2009

Funeral in Moscow
Justice for Sergei Magnitsky

During the funeral, Sergei Magnitsky’s relatives

noticed that his hands were bruised
Justice for Sergei Magnitsky
10 months since the death in custody
of Sergei Magnitsky, and despite huge
public attention, not a single official
has been prosecuted.

The case opened into his death does

not have any suspects.

No one has been charged.

The investigation into the implicated

police officers has been continually
stalled by authorities.
Public is shocked by Magnitsky’s death and outraged
by impunity of officials
Public is shocked by Magnitsky’s death and outraged
by impunity of officials
Public is shocked by Magnitsky’s death and outraged
by impunity of officials
 Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice
Gordon Brown, former
UK Prime Minister

“I was deeply concerned to hear of

the death of Sergei Magnitsky…
Mr Browder remains in close
contact with us and we have raised
his serious concerns consistently
with the Russian authorities."
November 2009
 Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice
Hillary Rodham Clinton
US Secretary of State
Speaking in Washington at the second U.S.–
Russia “Civil Society to Civil Society” Summit,
Secretary Clinton urged for justice in Magnitsky
case

“But there is another element to our

agenda… Among others, we remember
the murdered American journalist Paul
Klebnikov; the Russian lawyer Sergei
Magnitsky, who died in pre-trial
detention last year. We continue to urge
that justice be delivered in these cases.”
June 2010
Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice
During his trip to Russia in June 2010, President
Buzek raised the Magnitsky case with Russian
President Medvedev and Duma Chairman
Gryzlov. President Buzek expressed his strong
reaction to the death of Magnitsky and his
commitment to monitor the investigation into Mr.
Magnitsky’s death in order to make sure justice is
done for Sergei Magnitsky and his family

Jerzy Buzek
President of
European Parliament
Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice

Cecilia Malström
European Home Affairs
Commissioner

“The persecution of Sergei Magnitsky by the

officials he had testified against is an emblematic
case of the misuse of office and corruption in the
police force from which both European and
Russian businesses suffer and the lives of
ordinary people are ruined.

Bringing it up at the EU-Russia Council

demonstrates how important it is at the highest
political level of the EU. We will continue to do
everything to ensure that there is justice for
Magnitsky and the cause he fought for,” said
spokesperson for Commissioner Malmström
Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice

William Hague
British Foreign Minister
“We have followed closely the case of Mr Magnitsky and
wider issues relating to Mr Browder’s company…

The launch of an investigation into the death in custody of

Mr Magnitsky was a welcome step. However, it is important
that this investigation should be thorough and transparent if
it is to address both human rights concerns and the effect of
this case on investor confidence…

These individuals [Russian officials involved in arrest and

torture of Magnitsky] would need to obtain a visa to visit the
UK and such an application could, in principle, be refused if
the Entry Clearance Officer were satisfied that their
presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public
good, for example because of character, conduct or
associations…”

Letter from Foreign Secretary William Hague to David Davis, MP

Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice
Radoslaw Sikorski
Polish Foreign Minister
“Unlawful acts and abuse of human rights cannot go without
a reaction from the international community…

We think that effective modernization of Russia cannot be

reached only through technology and foreign investment
without strengthening the fundamentals of a lawful country,
democratic values and respect for human rights…In the
event of international institutions establishing a list of
persons, who were involved in the death of the advocate, a
consideration will be made to issue appropriate visa
sanctions against them.”

Letter from Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski to Ryszard

Kalisz MP, head of the Polish Parliament’s Human
Rights Committee
Politicians Worldwide Urge for Justice

Heidi Hautula
Chair of European
Parliament’s
Human Rights
Subcommittee

“The unlawful arrest and torture in detention of Sergei

Magnitsky, carried out by officers he had implicated in
the abuse of office and corruption represents one of
the most important human rights cases.

State officials and judges responsible for his unlawful

arrest, torture and death in custody must be held
accountable according to Russian and international
norms.”
Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky
International Bar Association
“We are concerned that these activities [arrest and detention
without trial of Sergei Magnitsky and persecution of other
Hermitage lawyers] are in contravention of Russia’s
obligations national and international law.
Article 17 of the Russian Constitution guarantees that ‘the
basic rights and liberties in conformity with the commonly
recognized principles and norms of the international law.’
Article 20 guarantees the right to life, and Article 22 states that
‘everyone shall have the right to freedom and personal
inviolability.’
Russia ratified the International Covenant of Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR) in 1976. According to Article 9 of the ICCPR,
everyone ‘has the right to liberty and security of person,’ and
the right to life is outlined in article 6.”

Letter to President Medvedev, 8 June 2009, 5 months

prior to Sergei Magnitsky’s death
 Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky
“The Law Society is deeply troubled by the
death of Sergei Magnitsky…
We … understand that Mr Magnitsky alleged
that he had been placed under pressure to
falsely incriminate himself and others and
that when he refused to do this his
UK Law Society conditions of detention became worse…
We …urge you to order an investigation into
Letter to President Medvedev the allegations made by Mr Magnitsky of the
7 December 2009 pressure on him to falsely incriminate
himself and others and the link between this
and the conditions of his detention.”
 Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky
“There is strong evidence that Mr. Magnitsky may
have been detained and killed for performing his
professional duties while defending a client and
reporting a crime. Despite overwhelming evidence
of this, the government is not investigating whether
Letter to President Medvedev Mr. Magnitsky’s detention was legally justified and
16 July 2010 whether Mr. Magnitsky was murdered through the
intentional creation of intolerable conditions and the
intentional denial of medical care. In fact it has
rejected every complaint asking it to do so…

In light of current circumstances regarding Mr.

Magnitsky, we have to believe that the almost total
lack of legal protection and the absence of effective
restraints on government officials, who are free to
act to the detriment of investors and their Russian
investments, will be taken note of by all who
consider or are being advised about inward
investment in Russia…

We view this matter to be of sufficient gravity as a

matter of law and human rights and of sufficient
concern to the world community…”
 Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky

Allison Gill
Director of
Moscow office
 Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky

Mikhail Ugarov,
Russian Playwright
Staged a play in Moscow about
the torture of Sergei Magnitsky
in custody based on his diaries
Liya Akhedzhakova,
Yuri Shevchuk, Russian Actress
Russian Rock Star Described as “fascism” the
actions of officials towards
Asked Prime Minister Putin to
Magnitsky
investigate corrupt officials implicated
by Magnitsky, to no avail
 Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky
Andrei Makarov, Russian
Duma Member
Organised a program on Russian TV
and expressed his outrage with police
officials who continue to cover up their
role in Magnitsky’s death
Valery Borschev, Chairman of
Human Rights Watchdog over
Detention Centres
Wrote a damning report based on a 6-week
investigation about the tortuous conditions
and physical and psychological pressure
placed on Magnitsky while in custody
 Campaign for Justice for Sergei
Magnitsky

Dmitry Muratov,
Editor of Novaya Gazeta newspaper
Published Magnitsky’s hand-written
diaries
Nikolai Uskov,
Editor of Russian GQ
Campaigned for public awareness
of Magnitsky’s torture among his
fans on the Internet
Visa Ban Initiative
In April 2010, Chairman of US Helsinki Commission,
Senator Benjamin Cardin, requested that US
government implements permanent visa sanctions
against 60 Russian officials implicated in the US$230
million corruption and death of Sergei Magnitsky

Benjamin Cardin
US Senator,
Chairman of US
Helsinki Commission
 Cardin List of 60 Corrupt Russian
Officials
The list includes 60 Russian officials including: police,
prosecutors, judges, tax officers and other officials implicated by
Sergei Magnitsky in corruption and his persecution
The initiative to implement visa bans against corrupt
officials resonates worldwide
The initiative to implement visa bans against corrupt
officials resonates worldwide
 Justice For Sergei Magnitsky

On 13 September 2010, leading Russian activists

appealed to US and EU to enact visa bans
against 60 implicated Russian officials

Mr. Yuri Alekseevich Ryzhov, Member of the Russian Academy of Science

Mr. Sergei Adamovich Kovalev, Chairman of the Human Rights Organization, “Memorial”
Mr. Sergei Aleksandrovich Filatov, President of the Foundation for Socio-Economic and Intellectual Programs
Ms. Marietta Omarovna Chudakova, Member of the European Academy, Professor of Literature
Mr. Alexei Kirillovich Simonov, President of the State Foundation, “Glasnost Defense”
Ms. Lyudmila Mikhailovna Alekseeva, Chairman of the Moscow Helsinki Group
Mr. Vladimir Aleksandrovich Ryzhkov, Chairman of the Russian Political Party, “The Choice of Russia”
Mr. Igor Aleksandrovich Kharichev, Secretary of the Moscow Union of Writers
Priest Gleb Yakunin, Member of the Moscow Helsinki Group
Mr. Lev Aleksandrovich Ponomarev, Executive Director of the Human Rights Group
Mr. Kirill Sergeevich Kabanov, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Committee of Russia
Mr. Ernst Isaakovich Cherny, Executive Secretary of the Public Committee for the Protection of Scientists
Mr. Igor Borisovich Chubais, Professor of the University of Peoples’ Friendship, Member of the Editorial Board
of “Posev”
Mr. Boris Pavlovich Pustyntsev, Chairman of the Human Rights Organization, “Civilian Control”
 Justice For Sergei Magnitsky
Appeal to Enact Visa Ban Against 60 Russian Officials

“We are left with no other choice but to request legal

support from other states, for which we hope “human Leading Russian Intellectuals
rights” are not empty words. As such, and Civic Rights Activists

1. We appeal to the leaders of the United States to

deny entry to those Russian officials who appear on
Senator Cardin’s list.

2. We appeal to the leaders of the European Union to

deny entry to those Russian officials who appear on
Senator Cardin’s list.”
“Recent developments show that Russian government has not taken any
meaningful steps to investigate the circumstances of the arrest, detention,
torture and death of Mr. Magnitsky or the circumstances surrounding the
embezzlement of 5.4 billion rubles [US$230 million] of funds from the Russian
treasury, a crime discovered and reported to Russian law enforcement by Mr.
Magnitsky. Moreover, no investigations have been opened in response to
publicly available records that document the sudden increase in the personal
wealth of two Interior Ministry officers... Our public appeals to the President
and the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation have produced no
substantive response.”
September 13, 2010
Justice for Sergei Magnitsky

Mother of Sergei Magnitsky