In the meantime, the Russian authorities have "dropped negligence charges against a doctor implicated in the prison death of anticorruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky".
The decision, made quietly last week, is the latest twist in a case that has become an international symbol of Russia’s troubling human rights and rule of law record.
State prosecutors said they have ended their investigation of Larisa Litvinova, the chief physician at Moscow’s infamous Butyrka prison, citing a recently approved two-year statute of limitations in such probes.How very convenient. Presumably, all other outstanding charges (and there are not all that many) will also be dragged out until the statute of limitation expires.
Why the focus on Russia? There have been hundreds of deaths in UK police custody over the last decade and hundreds more each year in America. Very few if any police officers are ever prosecuted. Magnitsky was a Russian citizen who died in Russia. The investigation into his death was a matter for the Russian authorities and has nothing to do with us.
ReplyDeleteActually, it has, George, as Magnitsky was working for a British firm. The deaths in British police custody are investigated. And why the focus on Russia? Because I choose to do so. My blog, my interests, my rules. Don't like it? Hard luck.
ReplyDelete...Yes and Magnitsky’s death was also investigated. The Russian courts are the only ones competent to undertake such an investigation since they are the only ones with direct access to the evidence. Outside interference in this case by the US and European governments is an attempt to subvert the rule of law by pressuring the Russian courts to decide a case based on elite opinion in the West rather than on law and evidence.
DeleteNo doubt there are also Russian bloggers who get worked up by the supine attitude of the Kremlin who refuse to condemn the pre-emptive arrest and kettling of demonstrators in London. Nonetheless, that's our business not theirs.
Actually, the whole Magnitsky case has not been investigated. As I said before, George, whoever you might be: if you don't like what I write, there is no need to read it. If you think other subjects are more important, there is nothing to stop you from writing about it yourself but NOT on my blog. Go thou forth and blog.
ReplyDelete