Global Reaction to the Impunity of Russian Officials Who Killed Sergei Magnitsky on the Two Year Anniversary of His Death

November 14, 2011

This week marks the second anniversary of death from torture in Russian police custody of 37-year old whistle-blowing lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. On 15 and 16 November, politicians, activist campaigners and cultural leaders will spearhead a number of important events in his memory in the three world capitals – Washington, London and Berlin.

In Washington, the US Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing on Sergei Magnitsky’s murder and the impunity of the Russian officials responsible for his death two years ago. The briefing is organised by the US Helsinki Commission’s Chairman, Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Co-Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (MD). The US Helsinki Commission has been credited with documenting and publicising the list of 60 Russian officials involved in the $230 million corruption exposed by Sergei Magnitsky and his subsequent repression. As part of the briefing on the second anniversary of Magnitsky’s death, the US Helsinki Commission will be hosting a performance of “One Hour Eighteen,” a documentary play dedicated to Sergei Magnitsky’s final tragic moments. The event will take place on Wednesday, November 16, at 6:00 pm at 121 Cannon House Office Building, Washington
(http://csce.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContentRecords.ViewDetail&ContentType=V&ContentRecord_id=127)

In London, “One Hour Eighteen” will be premiered on Wednesday, November 16, at 7:30 pm at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Center (17-25 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EA) (http://www.amnesty.org.uk/events_details.asp?EventsID=1966). The play by celebrated Russian playwright Elena Gremina represents a theatre-staged open trial of Magnitsky’s torturers and killers. It describes the last one hour and 18 minutes of Sergei Magnitsky’s life based on documentary records. The play is unique because it deliberately does not disguise the names of real people involved. It has won rave reviews across Russia, has toured the USA since May and will now be for the first time introduced by the Sputnik theatre for the British audience.

In Berlin, German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, and Sergei Magnitsky’s mother, Natalia Magnitskaya, will unveil a permanent exhibition dedicated to Sergei Magnitsky “Sergei Magnitsky – Witness for Justice and Democracy in Russia,” on Tuesday, 15 November, at 7 pm at the famous Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Friedrichstrasse 43-45, Berlin) (http://www.mauermuseum.de/english/frame-index-mauer.html). The exhibition will feature Sergei Magnitsky’s diaries, letters and legal documents as well as his personal papers and will provide a unique insight into his life as a citizen who dared to fight corruption and gave his life for his principles.

“On the day of Sergei Magnitsky’s death, our thoughts are with his family. It is an extremely sad moment for all of us, but we must all be uplifted by the enormous outpouring of emotion that his tragedy has evoked in people around the world and the impact he and his heroic legacy has already had for the many silent victims who are suffering the same fate as him,” said William Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital, who is running a global campaign for justice for Sergei Magnitsky.

Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year old anti-corruption lawyer and outside counsel for the Hermitage Fund, was tortured to death in Russian Interior Ministry custody after he had testified about the involvement of Interior Ministry officials in the $230 million corruption.

Russian officials who were responsible for his wrongful arrest, torture and murder have been absolved from any responsibility, promoted and decorated with state honours.

Shocked by the impunity of Russian officials in this high-profile case of gross human rights abuse, lawmakers in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Holland, France and other European countries are introducing visa and economic sanctions on the complicit officials as well as those responsible for covering them up.

“This is not an anti-Russian campaign by any means. This is an anti-impunity campaign to target the money and travel privileges of corrupt officials for the benefit of honest Russians. We have huge support among the Russian people for what we are doing,” said William Browder commenting on the campaign to block foreign travel of Russian officials in the Magnitsky case.

German Launch of the “Sergei Magnitsky – Witness for Justice and Democracy in Russia” Exhibit at Checkpoint Charlie Museum, 7 pm, 15 November 2011
Berlin: http://www.mauermuseum.de/english/frame-index-mauer.html

British Premier of One Hour Eighteen, 7:30 pm, 16 November 2011
London: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/events_details.asp?EventsID=1966

US Helsinki Commission’s Briefing on Magnitsky Murder and Staging of One Hour Eighteen,, 6 pm, 16 November 2011
Washington: http://csce.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContentRecords.ViewDetail&ContentType=V&ContentRecord_id=127

One Hour Eighteen Performances in Baltimore, USA
– November 15, 2011 at 6pm: Baltimore City Community College, Catonsville Campus Call 410-704-ARTS (2787) (free and open to the public)
– February 17 – 19, 2012: Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St, Baltimore, MD

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