Press Release
Smith to Hold Wed., April 29 hearing to focus on law, proposed bill named for killed Russian whistleblower Need for a Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act Focus of House Hearing
A proposed bill to expand an anti-corruption law named after a Russian lawyer believed to have been murdered as part of a cover up in Russia will be the topic of a hearing planned by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues.
The existing Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 directed the President to publish and update a list of each person the President had reason to believe was responsible for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, a legal and accounting adviser at an international law and accounting firm. He documented losses and other illicit financial dealings involving a company called Hermitage Capitol Management, including draining $230 million from the Russian treasury by tax fraud. Magnitsky was arrested in November 2008, reportedly for tax evasion, and denied medical care, family visits, and due legal process, in custody. He was beaten and tortured, and died in prison in November 2009 at age 37.
The Act targeted those who participated in related liability concealment efforts, financially benefited from Magnitsky's detention, abuse, or death, or were involved in the criminal conspiracy uncovered by Magnitsky, or were responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other human rights violations committed against individuals seeking to expose illegal activity carried out by Russian officials, or against persons seeking to promote human rights and freedoms.
The hearing will examine the need for H.R. 624, “The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act,” a bill which would extend the original law’s human rights and anti-corruption tools to other countries. The House passed the previous H.R. 6156 by a vote of 365-43, and there is now strong Majority and Minority co-sponsorship for H.R. 624. Click here to watch a live webcast of the hearing. What: “The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act”
Who: Members of the House global human rights subcommittee, and witnesses:
When: Wednesday, April 29 at 2 p.m.
Where: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2255 (second floor)
“Foreign government officials involved in murder or major corruption should not be welcomed into the United States. Coming to America and owning American property are privileges, not rights,” said Chairman Smith. “This hearing will examine efforts to keep our neighborhoods and financial systems clean from some of the world’s worst violators of human rights.”
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