France has become the latest Western country to publicly criticize Russia's investigation into the death of Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in pretrial detention in 2009.
"The circumstances of the death of Mr. Magnitsky, who led a courageous fight against corruption and arbitrariness, are a matter of great concern for us," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe wrote in a letter to French National Assembly Deputy Jack Lang.
Magnitsky was arrested after accusing officials of stealing $230 million from the government and died in pretrial detention. Two prison doctors have been charged with negligence over his death, but no one else has faced punishment.
This summer, the U.S. State Department blacklisted dozens of officials implicated in the case.
(MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.