Support The Moscow Times!

Lawyer Hired by Sergei Magnitsky's Mother and William Browder Falls From Fifth Floor of Home

A tombstone on the grave of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, Nov. 16, 2012. AP Photo / Misha Japaridze

Nikolai Grokhov, the Russian lawyer representing the interests of Hermitage Capital CEO William Browder and the mother of Sergei Magnitsky, has fallen from the fifth floor of his home outside Moscow, according to the newspaper Novaya Gazeta, citing sources at Hermitage Capital.

The accident occurred while Grokhov was trying to lift a bathtub into the attic, when a winch suddenly snapped, knocking him down five stories. He has reportedly been hospitalized in critical condition.

On Wednesday, March 22, the Moscow City Court planned to consider an appeal by the Interior Ministry regarding the repeated court absences of Mr. Browder and his colleague, Ivan Cherkasov. In 2013, Browder was convicted in absentia of tax evasion and sentenced to nine years in prison. By that time, Browder had left Russia.

Russian police have put out an arrest warrant for Browder, but Interpol has twice refused to honor the request, saying the case is politically motivated.

Sergei Magnitsky was arrested in Russia in 2008 on suspicion of failing to pay his taxes. A year later, he died under suspicious circumstances in pretrial detention. The deputy head of the detention center was acquitted of any wrongdoing in the death. Magnitsky was later convicted posthumously of tax evasion.

In December 2014, the European Court of Human Rights agreed to hear a lawsuit by Magnitsky’s family against the Russian government, asking Russian officials to provide copies of all the documents concerning his death.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more