French TV Station ARTE Permanently Cancels Nekrasov’s Anti-Magnitsky Propaganda Film
May 9, 2016
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate distribution
French TV Station ARTE Permanently Cancels Nekrasov’s Anti-Magnitsky Propaganda Film
9 May 2016 – The French TV station, ARTE, has permanently cancelled the anti-Magnitsky propaganda film by Russian filmmaker Andrei Nekrasov.
French lawyer Safya Akorri who represents the widow of Sergei Magnitsky, and William Browder, the leader of the international justice campaign for Sergei Magnitsky, wrote to ARTE, submitting a list of false allegations made in Nekrasov’s film and presenting the evidence of their falsity.
ARTE has since cancelled the show scheduled for release on 3 May 2016 and officially informed their lawyers that they had no intention to show it at any point in the future.
ARTE’s decision follows the decision at the European Parliament on 27 April 2016 not to air the Nekrasov’s film for similar reasons. The screening of Nekrasov’s film was scheduled as a personal initiative of Nekrasov’s girlfriend, Heidi Hautala, a member of the European parliament from the Green Party in Finland.
Speaking about the decision by ARTE to cancel the film, William Browder, leader of Magnitsky justice campaign, said:
“There are many people who wish to avoid facing justice for Magnitsky’s death and the crimes he exposed by trying to destroy his memory and legacy. It is our duty to make sure this doesn’t happen.”
Andrei Nekrasov’s film on Sergei Magnitsky was prepared for release on ARTE’s European cultural channel on May 3, 2016 ignoring the fact that Sergei Magnitsky’s mother did not consent to the use of video footage of her.
“We are outraged that Mr. Nekrasov pretended that he sympathized with our grief,” said Nataliya Magnitskaya.
Nekrasov’s film, which claims to be a “documentary”, contains numerous false allegations against Sergei Magnitsky, which had been reviewed and refuted by independent Russian and international bodies, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, comprising delegates from 47 states, the European Parliament, the US Department, and the US Congress, among others.
The letter from Magnitsky’s mother and widow denounced any form of distribution of Nekrasov’s film which, they believe, used compromised methods characteristic of Kremlin propaganda films:
“Mr. Nekrasov is not unique, such misleading movies and programs are demonstrated in Russia on a regular basis to drag Sergei Magnitsky’s name through the mud and to justify the persons responsible for his death. Directors use fragments of interviews which are often taken by deceit, single sentences or even words are taken out of the context of the documents, certain phrases are turned inside out and acquire the opposite meaning, fragments of speeches are combined in a way necessary to manipulative individuals, according to the order.”
When the Magnitsky family learned about Nekrasov’s film, they issued a letter of protest against this latest anti-Magnitsky propaganda initiative. The Magnitsky family said:
“We think that the film by Andrei Nekrasov, which is based on his concoctions but not on the documents and facts, degrades the dignity of Sergei Magnitsky, degrades the deceased person who is unable to defend himself.”
“This movie is made in the interests of those who are scared of the truth uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky,”
said Magnitsky’s mother and widow.
Following the revelation of Nekrasov’s turn-around on Magnitsky case, questions have been raised as to what could explain it.
Andrei Nekrasov was previously known for films, including about poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, which were produced by his wife, Olga Konskaya, who passed away in Germany in 2009. Andrei Nekrasov’s public stance on Putin’s Russia changed since at least March 2014 — the time of President Putin’s invasion in Ukraine.
In Andrei Nekrasov’s blog post of 21 March 2014 available on the website of ‘Echo of Moscow,’ Russian radio station, he expressed a strong anti-American sentiment, justifying Putin’s actions, saying:
“Why America (and allies) can violate international law, and Russia — not? Americans and Co violate it, and this is not Kremlin-Kiselev’s propaganda, it is a fact recognized by the international community;”
“Putin controls the imagination of the people, and this is not the result of him “usurping power…;”
“In the opinion of aggrieved Russians, Crimea is not subject to Budapest memorandum.”
For more information, please contact:
Justice for Sergei Magnitsky
+44 207 440 1777
e‑mail: info@lawandorderinrussia.org
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