Heavy-Weight Sponsors Submit New Strengthened Magnitsky Bill to the U.S. House of Representatives

April 20, 2012

Tonight, a new strengthened version of the Magnitsky Bill was submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives calling for asset freezes and visa bans on anyone involved in the persecution of late whistle-blowing lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, the Russian government conspiracy he had uncovered and the subsequent cover-up of these crimes. The Bill also imposes similar sanctions on other gross human rights abusers.

“Sergei Magnitsky was brutally tortured and allowed to die in detention because he had the courage to stand up to Russian authorities on behalf of the truth. This bill honors his memory by holding accountable not only those individuals responsible for his abuse and death, but also others who have committed gross human rights violations. Enacting the bill would powerfully demonstrate that the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy,” said Congressman McGovern, Co-chairman of the U.S. Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the original sponsor of the Bill in the previous Congress.

Introducing the ‘Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012’ bill in the House earlier today, Representative McGovern said:
“The response of Russian authorities to the crimes uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky has been as outrageous as the crimes themselves… As if to spit on his grave, they even absurdly opened a new, groundless criminal case against him this year, marking the first posthumous prosecution in Russian history.”

“Since Russian authorities have not provided justice to Mr. Magnitsky and his family, the United States should do what it can to hold individuals accountable for these heinous crimes. The bill I am introducing today would provide a measure of justice for this courageous man,” said Representative McGovern.

The Bill submitted today in the House is co-sponsored by an array of the most powerful Congressmen from both parties, including Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, and Sandy Levin, Ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
“Having such prominent bi-partisan support makes it a near certainty that the Magnitsky Bill will be passed soon in the House,” said a Hermitage Capital representative.
The Senate version of the Magnitsky Bill is slated for a review at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week. After the bill is approved by both the House and the Senate, it will be combined and submitted to the U.S. President for signature.

The House co-sponsors of the Magnitsky Bill include: Representatives McGovern (MA), Wolf (VA), Levin (MI), Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Hastings (FL), Royce (CA), McDermott (WA), Burton (IN), Connolly (VA), Pitts (PA), Towns (NY), Roskam (IL), Michaud (ME), Smith (NJ) and Rangel (NY).
Representatives Royce and McGovern behind the Magnitsky Bill are also spearheading new legislative measures supported by House Committee Chairman Ros-Lehtinen (H.R. 4077 and H. Res. 583) in relation to the Lord’s Resistance Army, which under the direction of Kony has been responsible for murdering and abducting tens of thousands of innocent people in Africa, many of whom are children.

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