Back to Homepage

Russia drops probe into whistleblowing lawyer's death

by AFP
March 19, 2013 , 3 : 15 pm

A close view of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky's portrait with his name and the lifetime below on the lawyer's tomb at the Preobrazhenskoye cemetery in Moscow. Photo - AFP

Moscow: Russian investigators on Tuesday dropped their investigation into the 2009 death in jail of a whistleblowing attorney whose case led to a crisis in relations between Russia and the United States. The investigators said in a statement they had no evidence that Sergei Magnitsky died from custodians' beatings at the age of 37 as his family and former US-born employer Bill Browder claim.

"Based on the preliminary investigation's results, a decision was taken to end the criminal case due to a lack of evidence of a crime," the Investigative Committee said. Magnitsky is currently facing a posthumous trial -- Russia's first -- along with Browder into alleged tax evasion.

The Russian lawyer was jailed shortly after disclosing an alleged $230-million fraud scheme being run by senior tax and law enforcement authorities. An attorney for Magnitsky's mother said he intended to appeal the decision in court.

Rate this Article


Rates : 0, Average : 0

Obama proposes nuclear weapons cuts in Berlin address

Singapore smog breaches 'hazardous' level

Iceland kills first fin whales in controversial hunt

Stalagmites show permafrost peril

Jury selection in Trayvon Martin murder case moves into final phase

Sections

More

Russia drops probe into whistleblowing lawyer's death

Post a Comment

TOP RATED ARTICLES

Snapshots

Times Videos