In another sign that Russia is not taking corruption, police brutality or legal nihilism seriously, it has been revealed that, of the two people finally held in some way accountable for the death in custody of Sergei Magnitksy, one of them has been exculpated of the charges. Larisa Litvinova, the doctor supervising the health of the corruption-battling lawyer a Butyrka prison hospital, was charged with negligence after denying him basic tests and treatment that could have saved his life. The case against her has now been dropped. William Browder, Magnitsky’s former employer and the tireless defender of his memory had this to say:
“It’s shocking,” Browder said. “It’s clear that there is no intention of prosecuting anybody in this case, and it is very demoralizing for Sergei’s family and for his colleagues to watch this farce play itself out.” […] Browder said the timing of this latest development was particularly disturbing.
“It is particularly shocking because they made this decision on what would have been Sergei’s 40th birthday, which was [April 8], and I think we are all sort of extremely upset and angry that they would essentially spit on his grave like this,” he said.