A Moscow court postponed a preliminary hearing Monday in the posthumous trial of whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky, whose death in custody has damaged Russia's image and strained ties with the United States.
The court appointed a legal team to defend Magnitsky during the trial after his family and lawyers refused to attend Monday's hearing because they say the case is politically motivated.
"Today's preliminary court hearing was moved to Feb. 18 ... because Magnitsky's defense team did not show up. And the judge, in order to observe the principle of equality [before the law], appointed a defense," said court spokeswoman Alexandra Berezina.
Magnitsky was 37 when he died after 358 days in jail on suspicion of tax evasion and fraud, during which he said he was denied treatment as his health declined.
Authorities said Magnitsky died of a heart attack. But his former employer, investment fund Hermitage Capital, says he was killed because he was investigating a $230 million theft by law enforcement and tax officials.
The Kremlin's own human rights council aired suspicions that Magnitsky was beaten to death, but nobody has been convicted of any crime in connection with his death.
One prison official was tried last year, but prosecutors asked the court to clear him after President Vladimir Putin said Magnitsky had not been tortured, and the judge complied.
The case against Magnitsky is a different story. It was closed after he died, but authorities took the highly unusual step of reopening it in 2011, as international criticism of Russia over his death mounted.
"I think it is inhuman to try a dead man," Magnitsky's mother, Natalya Magnitskaya, said. "This is not a court case but some kind of farce, and I will not take part in it."
Magnitskaya's lawyer, Nikolai Gorokhov, said it was illegal to try a dead person in Russia unless a trial is requested by relatives seeking rehabilitation for their loved one.
He dismissed the trial as a politically motivated attempt to discredit Magnitsky and his former boss, Bill Browder, and paint them as the criminals rather than the Russian officials they have sought to expose.
"It's a dance on the grave of a dead man," Gorokhov said.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.