European Lawmakers Unanimously Call for Immediate Visa and Economic Sanctions on Russian Officials in Magnitsky Case

February 29, 2012

Yes­ter­day, the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment del­e­ga­tion in the EU-Rus­sia Par­lia­men­tary Coop­er­a­tion Com­mit­tee held an extra­or­di­nary meet­ing on the case of Sergei Mag­nit­sky which result­ed in the adop­tion of a state­ment call­ing for imme­di­ate EU trav­el bans and asset freezes on the Russ­ian offi­cials respon­si­ble for the false arrest, tor­ture and death of Sergei Mag­nit­sky. The Sergei Mag­nit­sky State­ment was adopt­ed unan­i­mous­ly (with one abstention).

The state­ment of the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment Del­e­ga­tion to the EU-Rus­sia Par­lia­men­tary Coop­er­a­tion Com­mit­tee said: 

“Urges the EU Mem­ber States to start imme­di­ate­ly pro­ce­dures to enact mea­sures such as a EU-wide trav­el ban and a freeze on the finan­cial assets of those believed to be guilty of the tor­ture and death of Sergei Mag­nit­sky as well as of cov­er­ing up the case.”

The State­ment notes “the fail­ure to pun­ish those guilty of his death” in Russia.

The State­ment pays trib­ute to Sergei Mag­nit­sky, rec­og­niz­ing him as “one among many peo­ple who have been fight­ing for free­dom, democ­ra­cy and the rule of law in Rus­sia and who died while pur­su­ing this endeavour.”

Mem­bers of the Euro­pean Del­e­ga­tion have instruct­ed its Chair, Knut Fleck­en­stein, who abstained dur­ing the vote, to for­ward the res­o­lu­tion to the Pres­i­dent of the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment, the For­eign Affairs Com­mit­tee of the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment and Russ­ian del­e­gates in the EU-Rus­sia Par­lia­men­tary Coop­er­a­tion Committee.

Offi­cial Site of the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment Del­e­ga­tion to the EU-Rus­sia Par­lia­men­tary Coop­er­a­tion Com­mit­tee http://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/d‑ru/home.html

Notice of Extra­or­di­nary Meeting
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/d‑ru/meetings-search.html;jsessionid=26B6CFD684CD676C23F90952DE90D296.node2

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