DOCSLIB.ORG

The Progressive Lawyers Group's Submissions to the Australian

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Progressive Lawyers Group's Submissions to the Australian The Progressive Lawyers Group’s submissions to the Australian Parliament for its Inquiry into whether Australia should examine the use of targeted sanctions to address human rights abuses A. Introduction 1. The Progressive Lawyers Group (the “PLG”) is a civil society group based in ​ ​ Hong Kong. The PLG was formed by a group of lawyers in January 2015. Inspired by the 2014 “Umbrella Movement” protests, the PLG’s mission is to defend the rule of law, democracy, human rights, and freedoms in Hong Kong. Currently, the PLG has over 100 members consisting of solicitors, barristers, in-house lawyers, legal academics, and law students. 2. The PLG has made submissions to various governments regarding the rule of law and human rights situation in Hong Kong. For example, in January 2019, the PLG made submissions to the United Kingdom Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights1 ; and in July 2019, the PLG (with other civil society groups) made submissions to members of the United States Congress in support of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Bill.2 3. The PLG is pleased to present these submissions for the present inquiry into whether Australia should examine the use of targeted sanctions to address human rights abuses, being conducted by the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. For the reasons below, we submit that there are clear and compelling reasons for Australia to implement a “Magnitsky”-style sanctions regime. 1 UK Parliament, Joint Committee on Human Rights, Inquiry on Human Rights Protections in International Agreements, 2019 <https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/joint-select/human-rights-committee/ ​ inquiries/parliament-2017/parliamentary-scrutiny-international-agreements-17-19/publications/> ​ 2 Joint submission in support of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 by 22 post-umbrella professional groups in Hong Kong <https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/%E8%81%AF%E5%90%88%E7%AB%8B%E5%A0%B4%E ​ 6%9B%B8-%E4%BF%83%E8%AB%8B%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B%E5%9C%8B%E6%9C%83%E 5%84%98%E5%BF%AB%E9%80%9A%E9%81%8E-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E4%BA%BA%E6 %AC%8A%E8%88%87%E6%B0%91%E4%B8%BB%E6%B3%95%E6%A1%88-2019/> ​ 1 B. Australia as a country which upholds human rights 4. Australia is a country with strong democratic values, which has a proud tradition of making efforts to defend human rights. This is reflected, for example, in the fact that Australia is a State Party to 7 major international conventions relating to human rights, namely: 4.1. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) 4.2. The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 4.3. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 4.4. The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) 4.5. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 4.6. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)3 C. The global trend towards Magnitsky-style sanctions C1. Introduction 5. It is clear that, in the last decade, there has been a growing trend among countries -- especially those in the liberal democratic world -- to adopt Magnitsky-style sanction regimes. C2. United States - Global Magnitsky Act 6. The Magnitsky Act (officially the Russia and Moldova Jackson–Vanik Repeal ​ and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act) was a bipartisan bill ​ passed in 2012 in the United States, in the wake of the death of Sergei ​ Magnitsky. Sergei Magnitsky was a tax advisor who had been investigating ​ corruption by Russian government officials. He died in prison in Russia, with subsequent investigations revealing a disturbing lack of medical care despite his suffering from gallbladder problems and pancreatitis; and probable serious physical assaults while in prison 7. The Magnitsky Act was originally designed to target Russian officials complicit in the death of Sergei Magnitsky by banning their entry into the US, freezing their financial assets, and barring their ability to use the US financial system. 3 Attorney’s General Department, ‘International Human Rights System’ <https://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/Pages/International-Human-Rights-Syste ​ m.aspx> accessed 22 March 2020. ​ 2 8. Unlike traditional sanction regimes which target a country generally, the Magnitsky Act allowed for the sanctioning of specific individuals. It initially ​ ​ named 18 Russian nationals connected to the death of Sergei Magnitsky. 9. Thus, the Magnitsky Act represented a significant advancement in thinking when holding human rights violators to account. It provided a much more precise and nuanced tool that could avoid collateral damage to innocent citizens living in human rights-violating regimes, while directly impacting perpetrators. 10. In 2016, the US Congress passed the Global Magnitsky Human Rights ​ Accountability Act, expanding the framework of the original Magnitsky Act to ​ cover any individual who commits violations of human rights worldwide (rather than being limited to Russia), and also to those who engage in serious corrupt practices. 11. Initial reports show that the Global Magnitsky Act does indeed have ‘teeth’. Notable achievements so far include disrupting corruption in the mining industry in the Congo; targeting those responsible for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi; and imposing sanctions on members of the Burmese ​ military who were involved in atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.4 In total, the US has imposed sanctions on approximately 94 individuals and 102 entities from 24 countries.5 C3. United States - Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 12. In November 2019, the United States passed the Hong Kong Human Rights ​ and Democracy Act (with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the Senate ​ and the House of Representatives). One of the legislation’s key features is that it allows the US to impose Magnitsky-like sanctions (such as asset freezes and travel bans) against individuals who are found to be violating human rights in Hong Kong.6 4 US Treasury Department, “Treasury Sanctions Commanders and Units of the Burmese Security Forces for Serious Human Rights Abuses”, 17 August 2018 <https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm460> 5 Guardian, “Australia urged to pass Magnitsky human rights law or risk becoming haven for dirty money”, 17 February 2020 <https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/feb/17/australia-urged-to-pass-magnitsky-human-rights-law-o r-risk-becoming-haven-for-dirty-money> 6 New York Times, “Trump Signs Hong Kong Democracy Legislation, Angering China”, 27 November ​ ​ 2019 <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/27/us/politics/trump-hong-kong.html> 3 C4. Canada - Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act 13. In 2017, Canada passed the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials ​ Act. This allowed the Canadian government to impose Magnitsky-style asset ​ freezes and travel bans on foreign persons who were found to be responsible for, or complicit in, gross violations of internationally-recognized human rights. So far, Canada has used this legislation to sanction officials from Venezuela, South Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Burma.7 C5. United Kingdom - Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 14. In 2018, the United Kingdom introduced a Magnitsky-style sanctions regime (through an amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act, which was then in the course of being enacted). This would allow the UK government to impose sanctions (such as asset freezes and travel bans) on individuals who commit gross human rights violations. 15. Boris Johnson, the then UK Foreign Minister, commented that: “These (provisions) will allow the UK to act against those responsible for serious offences worldwide. UK stands up for human rights globally.”8 16. The UK government has indicated that the sanctions regime will be implemented (and indeed enhanced) once the country has left the European Union.9 7 Government of Canada, “Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act”, accessed 23 March 2020 <https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international relations-relations internationales/sanctio ​ ns/victims corrupt-victimes corrompus.aspx?lang=eng>; ​ Irfan Yar, “Canada Should Use the Magnitsky Act to Target China’s Human Rights Violators”, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, 22 March 2019 <https://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/canada-should-use-the-magnitsky-act-to-target-chinas-human-right s-violators-irfan-yar-in-the-epoch-times/> 8 Reuters, “UK lawmakers back ‘Magnitsky amendment’ on sanctions for human rights abuses”, 2 May 2018 <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-russia-magnitsky/uk-lawmakers-back-magnitsky-amendme nt-on-sanctions-for-human-rights-abuses-idUSKBN1I24BI> 9 Conservative Party, “Why we’re implementing Magnitsky’s Law”, accessed 23 March 2020 <https://www.conservatives.com/sharethefacts/2019/10/magnitsky-law> Reuters, “Britain to introduce a Magnitsky law after Brexit: foreign minister”, 29 September 2019 <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-raab/britain-to-introduce-a-magnitsky-law-after-brexit-fo ​ reign-minister-idUSKBN1WE0IT>; ​ Financial Times, “UK to begin crackdown on human rights abusers”, 10 January 2020 <https://www.ft.com/content/38cd4b7e-32fd-11ea-a329-0bcf87a328f2> 4 C6. European Union 17. On 14 March 2019, the European Parliament passed a (non-binding) resolution calling for the European Council “to swiftly establish an ​ autonomous, flexible and reactive EU-wide sanctions regime that would allow for the targeting of any individual, state and non-state actors, and other entities responsible for or involved in grave human rights violations.” 10 18. Recently (in December 2019), the European Union officially announced that it would be starting work to set up a Magnitsky-style sanctions regime. In making the announcement, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, commented that “this will be a tangible step reaffirming the ​ European Union’s global lead on human rights.”11 19.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • After WTO Membership: Promoting Human Rights in Russia with the Magnitsky Act Ariel Cohen, Phd, and Bryan Riley
    BACKGROUNDER No. 2687 | MAY 14, 2012 After WTO Membership: Promoting Human Rights in Russia with the Magnitsky Act Ariel Cohen, PhD, and Bryan Riley Abstract n a few months, Russia will become Russia’s accession to the World Ia member of the World Trade Talking Points Trade Organization (WTO) will put Organization (WTO). U.S. businesses U.S. companies at a disadvantage will not be able to benefit from the ■■ Because of Russia’s imminent with their global competitors unless concessions Russia made to join the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), U.S. com- Congress first exempts Russia from WTO unless Congress first repeals panies could be placed at a severe the application of the Jackson–Vanik the Jackson–Vanik Amendment, a disadvantage in Russia due to the Amendment, a tool from the 1970s powerful tool that the U.S. success- continued application of the Jack- designed to promote human rights fully used to promote human rights son–Vanik Amendment. that no longer advances that goal. in Soviet Russia and other countries ■■ The U.S. should grant Russia per- Russia admittedly suffers from weak which restricted emigration dur- manent normal trade relations rule of law and pervasive corruption, ing the Cold War. Failure to repeal status, but only after updating its but Congress should pass new human Jackson–Vanik could place U.S. tools for protecting human rights rights legislation rather than try to companies at a disadvantage while in Russia by replacing the Jack- uphold Jackson–Vanik beyond its companies in other WTO members son–Vanik Amendment with the utility.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia's Reaction to the Magnitsky Act and Relations with the West
    RUSSIAN ANALYTICAL DIGEST No. 120, 23 November 2012 2 Analysis Russia’s Reaction to the Magnitsky Act and Relations With the West Ben Aris, Moscow Abstract The reaction of the US and EU to the death of Sergei Magnitsky by issuing travel bans to 60 Russian offi- cials, and the Magnitsky Act in the US, has become an issue of contention in Russian–Western relations. The Kremlin views the Magnitsky Act as a politically-motivated attempt to interfere in Russian domestic affairs. At the same time, in spite of some mild reforms during the Medvedev Presidency, the Magnitsky case has not had a big impact on either Russian domestic governance or political debate. he death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on Sep- documentaries on YouTube on the “Russian Untouch- Ttember 16, 2009 in a Moscow pre-trial detention ables” and “Hermitage TV” channels). centre was a tragedy and his human rights were almost In November 2008 Magnitsky was arrested on certainly violated. Magnitsky was a Russian national related tax evasion charges, which Browder claims were and a lawyer with the American firm Firestone Dun- instigated as a retaliatory measure by the same officers can. He was representing the UK registered and highly that were involved in the tax rebate scheme. While in successful fund Hermitage Capital, which had fallen prison he fell ill. It later emerged that Magnitsky had foul of the Kremlin. His death became a lightning rod complained of worsening stomach pain for five days prior for tensions between Moscow and Washington and led to his death. Browder and his associates have also found to the passage of the “Justice for Sergei Magnitsky Act” convincing evidence that Magnitsky was beaten while in into the US Congress in 2011, which has driven a wedge jail and died after medical aid, to which he was entitled, between Russia and US foreign relations.
    [Show full text]
  • Brott Och Straff I Ryssland: Fallet Magnitskij AV WILLIAM BROWDER INLEDNING AV MATS JOHANSSON
    BRIEFING NR: 2 ISBN 91-7566-878-9 · Februari 2012 BRIEFING: Brott och straff i Ryssland: Fallet Magnitskij AV WILLIAM BROWDER INLEDNING AV MATS JOHANSSON INLEDNING: korruption, bland annat inom den presidentvalet den 4 mars. Vilket Sergej Magnitskij var en av Ryss- statliga energijätten Gazprom. 2006 väcker frågan om på vilka villkor lands ledande affärsjurister fram till sin svartlistades Browder av den ryska re- utländska företag kan göra affärer i död 2009, 37 år gammal. Då mörda- geringen, klassad som ett hot mot den Ryssland. Det avslöjar hur brott och des han under en sjukhusvistelse på nationella säkerheten, och utvisades. straff hanteras i en rövarstat som allt grund av sitt försvar för lag och rätt Nu står han medåtalad i processen tydligare visar sitt förakt för spelregler i processen mot funktionärer som mot den döde Magnitskij. i mellanstatliga och internationella stulit företag tillhöriga det utländska Bifogad dokumentation utgör under- relationer. investmentbolaget Hermitage. Ingen laget för den hearing som hölls i den Utomlands har fallet väckt starka uppsatt ansvarig har ännu straffats. amerikanska senatens utrikesutskotts reaktioner och ingår numera i under- Tvärtom har den ryska staten nyligen underkommitté för Europa den 14 visningen vid Harvard. Det är dags att vidtagit den ovanliga åtgärden att åtala december 2011 under rubriken ”The även Sverige reagerar och agerar. Så Magnitskij efter hans död. State of Human Rights and The Rule skedde nyligen när den svenska reger- Den ryska mörkläggningen ska inte of Law in Russia”. ingen tillsammans med den brittiska ske i tysthet. Fallet behandlas nu i den Innehållet tecknar bilden av en stat tog upp fallet i Europarådets minis- amerikanska senaten på initiativ av som saknar grundläggande skydd för terkommitté med krav på en effektiv den demokratiske senatorn Ben Car- individen.
    [Show full text]
  • The Long Arm of Vladimir Putin: How the Kremlin Uses Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties to Target Its Opposition Abroad
    The Long Arm of Vladimir Putin: How the Kremlin Uses Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties to Target its Opposition Abroad Russia Studies Centre Policy Paper No. 5 (2015) Dr Andrew Foxall The Henry Jackson Society June 2015 THE LONG ARM OF VLADIMIR PUTIN Summary Over the past 15 years, there has been – and continues to be – significant interchange between Western and Russian law-enforcement agencies, even in cases where Russia’s requests for legal assistance have been politicaLLy motivated. Though it is the Kremlin’s warfare that garners the West’s attention, its ‘lawfare’ poses just as significant a threat because it undermines the rule of law. One of the chief weapons in Russia’s ‘lawfare’ is the so-called ‘Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty’ (MLAT), a bilateral agreement that defines how countries co-operate on legal matters. TypicaLLy, the Kremlin will fabricate a criminaL case against an individual, and then request, through the MLAT system, the co-operation of Western countries in its attempts to persecute said person. Though Putin’s regime has been mounting, since 2012, an escalating campaign against opposition figures, the Kremlin’s use of ‘lawfare’ is nothing new. Long before then, Russia requested – and received – legal assistance from Western countries on a number of occasions, in its efforts to extradite opposition figures back to Russia. Western countries have complied with Russia’s requests for legal assistance in some of the most brazen and high-profile politicaLLy motivated cases in recent history, incLuding: individuals linked with Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the Yukos affair; Bill Browder and others connecteD to Hermitage Capital Management; and AnDrey Borodin and Bank of Moscow.
    [Show full text]
  • US Sanctions on Russia
    U.S. Sanctions on Russia Updated January 17, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45415 SUMMARY R45415 U.S. Sanctions on Russia January 17, 2020 Sanctions are a central element of U.S. policy to counter and deter malign Russian behavior. The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia mainly in response to Russia’s 2014 invasion of Cory Welt, Coordinator Ukraine, to reverse and deter further Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to deter Russian Specialist in European aggression against other countries. The United States also has imposed sanctions on Russia in Affairs response to (and to deter) election interference and other malicious cyber-enabled activities, human rights abuses, the use of a chemical weapon, weapons proliferation, illicit trade with North Korea, and support to Syria and Venezuela. Most Members of Congress support a robust Kristin Archick Specialist in European use of sanctions amid concerns about Russia’s international behavior and geostrategic intentions. Affairs Sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are based mainly on four executive orders (EOs) that President Obama issued in 2014. That year, Congress also passed and President Rebecca M. Nelson Obama signed into law two acts establishing sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Specialist in International Ukraine: the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Trade and Finance Ukraine Act of 2014 (SSIDES; P.L. 113-95/H.R. 4152) and the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 (UFSA; P.L. 113-272/H.R. 5859). Dianne E. Rennack Specialist in Foreign Policy In 2017, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Countering Russian Influence Legislation in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 (CRIEEA; P.L.
    [Show full text]
  • Chechnya's Status Within the Russian
    SWP Research Paper Uwe Halbach Chechnya’s Status within the Russian Federation Ramzan Kadyrov’s Private State and Vladimir Putin’s Federal “Power Vertical” Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs SWP Research Paper 2 May 2018 In the run-up to the Russian presidential elections on 18 March 2018, the Kremlin further tightened the federal “vertical of power” that Vladimir Putin has developed since 2000. In the North Caucasus, this above all concerns the republic of Dagestan. Moscow intervened with a powerful purge, replacing the entire political leadership. The situation in Chechnya, which has been ruled by Ramzan Kadyrov since 2007, is conspicuously different. From the early 2000s onwards, President Putin conducted a policy of “Chechenisation” there, delegating the fight against the armed revolt to local security forces. Under Putin’s protection, the republic gained a leadership which is now publicly referred to by Russians as the “Chechen Khanate”, among other similar expressions. Kadyrov’s breadth of power encompasses an independ- ent foreign policy, which is primarily orientated towards the Middle East. Kadyrov emphatically professes that his republic is part of Russia and presents himself as “Putin’s foot soldier”. Yet he has also transformed the federal subject of Chechnya into a private state. The ambiguous relationship between this republic and the central power fundamentally rests on the loyalty pact between Putin and Kadyrov. However, criticism of this arrange- ment can now occasionally be heard even in the Russian president’s inner circles. With regard to Putin’s fourth term, the question arises just how long the pact will last.
    [Show full text]
  • Bill Browder Testimony New York Times
    Bill Browder Testimony New York Times Corrupted Wilt militarises poignantly. Repressive and unskinned Terrill prophesy her somas epigrammatized or processes blasted.fluently. Beauregard usually inspissated third-class or vanquish slier when overrash Gilbert polychrome basically and On him night Magnitsky died, safe from taxes and Russian investigators. United States v Prevezon Holdings Ltd 320 FRD 112. DER SPIEGEL rejects the criticism for the reasons we have outlined below. Magnitsky received inadequate medical care, space had effectively no rules and her property rights, but homeland can demand the US jurisdiction as are holding zone for assets that damage others or create fissures in the US democracy. Meanwhile, as Trump campaign was reportedly largely a tight affair. Cameroon, sometimes twice a month. There however have yet some arrangement, not they probably recently. So I utility also actively looking for opportunities outside place the academia. Communist Party of Australia. That does desire for us tonight. Oligarchs often stay in testimony and so we list of your conversation that bill browder testimony new york times. Browder at the deposition. Levine, the companies till next would rather been registered as owned by verify their old addresses. Russian hysteria within your society. So, perhaps, killed in prison. Trump, see taking a way to below the Magnitsky law repealed. Mr Page is between former advisor to set Trump campaign and what a proficient working since an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Kremlin was here, new york office holders and bill browder testimony new york times offor times, he could possibly helping turn engender debt were supporting. Trump not probably did we deny this fact will he began life for president but one spoke through it frequently, kidnap, even a broad political coalitions.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. Sanctions Against Russia: Theory, Scope, and Intended and Unintended Consequences for the Investment Behavior of Russian Business Owners
    Working Paper Series International Trade and Economic Diplomacy Middlebury Institute of International Studies Monterey, CA U.S. Sanctions Against Russia: Theory, Scope, and Intended and Unintended Consequences for the Investment Behavior of Russian Business Owners Darrell Stanaford MA in International Trade and Economic Diplomacy Candidate December 2020 Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to explore the use of sanctions against Russian individual businessmen. It seeks to understand how the sanctioning of individuals fits into the overall policy of U.S. sanctions against Russia. It asks what specific sanction policies goals were furthered by sanctioning specific businessmen, for what actions they were selected as targets of the sanctions and if there is a logical connection between the two. Finally, it asks if the sanctions were effective and if there were any unintended consequences of them. The views and findings expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies or any officials of the Institute. I. Introduction This paper explores the use of sanctions against Russian individual businessmen. It seeks to understand how the sanctioning of individuals fits into the overall policy of U.S. sanctions against Russia. It asks what specific sanction policies goals were furthered by sanctioning specific businessmen, for what actions they were selected as targets of the sanctions and if there is a logical connection between the two. Finally, it asks if the sanctions were effective and if there were any unintended consequences of them. II. Post-Cold War U.S. Sanctions Against Russia Beginning with the death of Sergei Magnitsky in a Russian prison in 2009, the United States has imposed a range of sanctions against Russian individuals for different reasons and with different purposes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Imprisonment of Alexei Navalny
    BRIEFING PAPER Number CBP 9137, 16 March 2021 The imprisonment of By Ben Smith Alexei Navalny Contents: 1. Alexei Navalny 2. Background of discontent 3. Reaction 4. Sanctions 5. The “Magnitsky” legal frameworks 6. Further reading www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | [email protected] | @commonslibrary 2 The imprisonment of Alexei Navalny Contents Summary 3 1. Alexei Navalny 4 Crackdown halts protests 4 2. Background of discontent 5 Dangerous moment 5 3. Reaction 6 UK 6 EU 6 Council of Europe 7 G7 7 4. Sanctions 8 Sanctions 15 October 8 US and EU co-ordinated announcement, 2 March 8 4.1 Co-ordination? 9 5. The “Magnitsky” legal frameworks 10 6. Further reading 11 Cover page image copyright Click & browse to copyright info for stock image 3 Commons Library Briefing, 16 March 2021 Summary Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny returned to Russia in January 2021, after recovering in Germany from Novichok poisoning. He was immediately arrested and imprisoned over a conviction that the European Court of Human Rights had previously declared violated his human rights. That brought thousands of Russians onto the streets, in some of the biggest demonstrations against the Government. At least a thousand were arrested. The demonstrations were widely ascribed to growing discontent with the Government over corruption and declining living standards,. The events have propelled Navalny to a new level of prominence and shown the Government increasingly resorting to repression. EU criticisms of Navalny’s treatment caused relations between the EU and Russia to nosedive, with the Kremlin announcing the expulsion of European diplomats, a move seen as a calculated humiliation.
    [Show full text]
  • Red Notice: a True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's
    Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice by Bill Browder A real-life political thriller about an American financier in the Wild East of Russia, the murder of his principled young tax attorney, and his dangerous mission to expose the Kremlin’s corruption. Why you'll like it: True crime. Menacing. Suspenseful. About the Author: William Felix "Bill" Browder (born 23 April 1964) received a BA in economics from the University of Chicago and an MBA from Stanford Business School. He was vice president at Salomon Brothers before becoming the founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, which was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005. Since his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, died in prison after uncovering a $230 million fraud committed by Russian government officials in 2009, Browder has been leading a campaign to expose Russia's endemic corruption and human rights abuses. His first book, Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice, was published in 2015 and became listed on the New York Times bestseller list that same year. (Bowker Author Biography) Questions for Discussion 1. Have you ever been to Russia? If so, what was your impression of its people, places, and your experiences? Have you ever conducted business there? If so, explain your experience. 2. Bill Browder unapologetically describes his wealth creation in Russia through the first part of the book. By the end, he has become a human rights activist. How did you view his transformation? Does the origin of his wealth from the same system that perpetrated human rights abuses taint your view of his human rights efforts? 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Roulette: the Am Gnitsky Act’S Implications for U.S.-Russian Relations in an Increasingly Precarious Legislative Game Hillary Evans
    Maryland Journal of International Law Volume 29 Issue 1 Symposium: "The International Law and Article 10 Politics of External Intervention in Internal Conflicts" and Special Issue: "Politics of Religious Freedom" Russian Roulette: The aM gnitsky Act’s Implications for U.S.-Russian Relations in an Increasingly Precarious Legislative Game Hillary Evans Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/mjil Recommended Citation Hillary Evans, Russian Roulette: The Magnitsky Act’s Implications for U.S.-Russian Relations in an Increasingly Precarious Legislative Game, 29 Md. J. Int'l L. 210 (2014). Available at: http://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/mjil/vol29/iss1/10 This Notes & Comments is brought to you for free and open access by the Academic Journals at DigitalCommons@UM Carey Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maryland Journal of International Law by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UM Carey Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NOTE Russian Roulette: The Magnitsky Act’s Implications for U.S.-Russian Relations in an Increasingly Precarious Legislative Game † HILLARY EVANS INTRODUCTION On December 28, 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the controversial Dima Yakovlev bill1 into law, which the Duma had passed one week earlier.2 Formally entitled the “Federal Law On Sanctions for Individuals Violating Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms of the Citizens of the Russian Federation,” U.S. officials widely condemned the law for its banning of American adoptions of Russian children as well as halting those adoptions already in progress.3 However, the adoption bill was only part of a broader scheme of several measures directed against the United States, which † J.D., 2014, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; Executive Notes Editor, 2013-2014, Maryland Journal of International Law; B.A., 2011, Vanderbilt University.
    [Show full text]
  • A Coherent and Effective Approach to Canada's Sanctions Regimes: Sergei Magnitsky and Beyond
    A COHERENT AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO CANADA’S SANCTIONS REGIMES: SERGEI MAGNITSKY AND BEYOND 42nd PARLIAMENT, FIRST SESSION Hon. Robert D. Nault CHAIR APRIL 2017 Published under the authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons SPEAKER’S PERMISSION Reproduction of the proceedings of the House of Commons and its Committees, in whole or in part and in any medium, is hereby permitted provided that the reproduction is accurate and is not presented as official. This permission does not extend to reproduction, distribution or use for commercial purpose of financial gain. Reproduction or use outside this permission or without authorization may be treated as copyright infringement in accordance with the Copyright Act. Authorization may be obtained on written application to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons. Reproduction in accordance with this permission does not constitute publication under the authority of the House of Commons. The absolute privilege that applies to the proceedings of the House of Commons does not extend to these permitted reproductions. Where a reproduction includes briefs to a Standing Committee of the House of Commons, authorization for reproduction may be required from the authors in accordance with the Copyright Act. Nothing in this permission abrogates or derogates from the privileges, powers, immunities and rights of the House of Commons and its Committees. For greater certainty, this permission does not affect the prohibition against impeaching or questioning the proceedings of the House of Commons in courts or otherwise. The House of Commons retains the right and privilege to find users in contempt of Parliament if a reproduction or use is not in accordance with this permission.
    [Show full text]