Political Quotes

“I come to the floor today to call Members' attention to recent action taken at the Parliamentary Assembly meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which convened in Monaco earlier this month. The OSCE considered and passed with overwhelming support a resolution on the rule of law in Russia and the case of Sergei Magnitsky. This is a resounding and much welcomed rebuke of Russia's deplorable human rights record and systemic corruption. With the Magnitsky resolution, the OSCE--made up of 56 participating states spanning Europe, Central Asia, and North America--reaffirms the widespread call for justice and rule of law. The international group has sent a clear signal to human rights violators that they will be held accountable. The OSCE resolution supports government efforts to ban visas, freeze assets, and employ other financial sanctions against those connected to the illegal detention and tragic death of Sergei Magnitsky. The young lawyer was beaten and denied medical care in a Russian prison after uncovering a vast conspiracy by Russian officials involving $230 million in tax fraud. Sergei Magnitsky died as a result of his treatment, and no one has ever been held responsible for his death. I have been a member of the Helsinki Commission for the last several years, and I have seen firsthand the contributions the OSCE has made to advance democratic, economic, security, and human rights issues.…”