Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the Magnitsky case in the Russian Federation

Brussels, 20-3-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission issued the following statement today:

“The EU has continuously urged the Russian Federation to undertake a credible and thorough investigation into the case of Mr Magnitsky’s death in pre-trial detention, and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The Russian Federation had repeatedly stated its commitment to undertake such an investigation.

Two independent investigations, conducted by the Public Oversight Commission for Human Rights Observance in Moscow Detention Centres and by the Russian Presidential Council on the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, revealed that Sergey Magnitsky was subjected to inhumane conditions, deliberate neglect and torture. Under these circumstances, the decision of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation to ignore these findings and to close the criminal investigation into the death of Sergey Magnitsky for lack of evidence of any crime is regrettable.

The closure of this case prematurely, while at the same time opening the posthumous trial against Magnitsky himself is an additional source of concern as to the state of the due process of law in the Russian Federation.”

###

FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
Michael Mann +32 498 999 780 – +32 2 584 9780- Michael.Mann@eeas.europa.eu
Maja Kocijancic +32 498 984 425 – +32 2 298 65 70 – Maja.Kocijancic@ec.europa.eu
Sebastien Brabant +32 460 75 09 98 – Sebastien.Brabant@ec.europa.eu
Eamonn Prendergast +32 460 75 32 93 – Eamonn.Prendergast@ec.europa.eu
Follow us on Twitter@eu_eeas
www.eeas.europa.eu