Europarl Magnitsky resolution is act of pressure - Russian delegation to PACE
MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - The European Parliament resolution on the so-called "Magnitsky List" is extremely politicized, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Vice-Speaker, deputy head of the Russian delegation to the Assembly Leonid Slutsky told reporters on Wednesday.
"The Magnitsky List decision of the European Parliament is absolutely politicized," he said.
"This is more flagrant interference in Russian internal affairs and obvious pressure on our judiciary. Russia will not let that go unpunished," he said.
"European parliamentarians suddenly paid attention to the Magnitsky case three and half a years after his death at a detention facility, precisely amidst Russia-EU negotiations on visa-free travel," Slutsky said.
"This position causes numerous questions," he noted.
Slutsky regretted that U.S. and European politicians had been speculating on the Magnitsky death theme with varied success.
"Some have the election race and the others seem to be the hostages of political lobbying and Cold War rudiments," Slutsky presumed.
He noted that the European Council resolution was advisory and the EU executive authorities would make a final decision on possible visa and financial restrictions on a number of Russian officials.
"We can only hope for their common sense in the development of relations with Russia," Slutsky said, adding that the Magnitsky List sanctions would seriously complicate the Russia-EU political climate.
The European Parliament supported a resolution on Tuesday to propose the "Magnitsky List" for EU member countries. The European Parliament suggested the EU Council should prohibit European trips and freeze European bank accounts of Russian officials suspected by European deputies of their involvement in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky at a detention facility.
The resolution expressed the opinion that the arrest of Magnitsky, terms of his custody and his death in prison mirrored profound disrespect for fundamental human rights. The European Parliament also said that the posthumous court proceeding with regard to Magnitsky breached national and international laws and proved that Russian criminal justice functioned poorly.