Liberal Forum

In 2009, Russian lawyer and auditor Sergei Magnitsky died in a Moscow prison after investigating fraud involving Russian tax officials.

While in prison, Magnitsky developed gall stones, pancreatitis and calculous cholecystitis and was refused medical treatment for months.

Finally, after almost a year of imprisonment and on the verge of death, Magnitsky was transferred to a Moscow hospital.

There he was greeted not by a doctor but by a number of Russian OMON who bludgeoned him to death.

In June 2012, the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs reported to the House a bill called the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (H.R. 4405).

The main intention of the law was to punish Russian officials who were thought to be responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky by prohibiting their entrance to the United States and their use of its banking system.

The legislation was taken up by a Senate panel the next week, sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin, and cited in a broader review of the mounting tensions in the international relationship.

In November 2012, provisions of the Magnitsky bill were attached to a House bill (H.R. 6156) normalizing trade with Russia (i.e. repealing the Jackson–Vanik amendment) and Moldova.

On December 6, 2012, the U.S. Senate passed the House version of the law.

The law was signed by President Barack Obama on December 14, 2012

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnitsky_Act