The horrible ordeal to which Magnitsky was subjected and which resulted in his death after torture, exemplifies the hypocritical stand of a country that has recently chastised the U.S. for the persecution of its own whistleblower.
While Snowden is still in Russian limbo, with Putin pointing fingers left and right, his judiciary emitted a post mortem sentence of tax evasion against Magnitsky, putting further salt in the wound of his family.
Magnitsky died in police custody after torture, from the untreated illness that resulted from the beatings suffered during his incarceration. He was a lawyer for US born investor W. Browder. In 2008, he blew open a criminal organization's attempt to collude with Interior Ministry Official in order to claim a bogus tax rebate to the tune of 25$ million.
His prosecution and death threw a dark shadow on Russia's attempt at seeming modern and democratic. His death was a reminder of the brutality of Russian prisons.
The Magnitsky case is at the basis, in part, of Russia's willingness to shelter Snowden. It is retaliation for the US placing Russia on the list of human rights violators, a move that prompted Russia to respond with disallowing any future adoptions of Russian children by Americans at the time.
The trial of Magnitsky, and the verdict rendered three years after his death, was supposed to be a chance for the family of the deceased to clear his name. But the trial instead turned into a show of force by the judiciary, intent at trying to prove the soundness of the government's causes for the imprisonment, beating and indictment of Magnitsky.
Furthermore, the highest investigative agency in Russia just completed its 'independent' probe of Magnitsky, declaring that there was no evidence of injustice or crimes having occurred during the imprisonment, beating, and prosecution of Magnitsky.
Source : NBC / 7.11.13
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