The US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, sent a letter on Friday to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging them to consider imposing sanctions on three Swiss nationals allegedly aiding sanctioned Russians
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th July, 2023) The US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, sent a letter on Friday to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging them to consider imposing sanctions on three Swiss nationals allegedly aiding sanctioned Russians.
"We are writing you to request that the United States review for sanctions under the US Magnitsky Act three Swiss nationals for their involvement in efforts to conceal the fraudulent tax scheme exposed by Sergei Magnitsky," the letter said.
The three Swiss individuals targeted for review are Vinzenz Schnell, Patrick Lamon and Michael Lauber. They allegedly abetted Russian nationals sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act to regain access to frozen funds, as well as accepted unauthorized fights and trips from Russian officials and businessmen, the letter said.
The letter comes after the Office of the Swiss Federal Prosecutor decided to return approximately 80% of frozen funds to the Russian individuals.
The Helsinki Commission said in the letter that it is "appalled" by the decision.
"In this time of Putin's brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine, the Swiss government is primed to return money to criminals in Russia who have been sanctioned by the US government and justify it by making and repeating the false account of the fraud concocted by the Russian government," the letter said.
The Magnitsky Act of 2012 was passed to sanction those individuals who allegedly perpetrated or profited from the death of anti-corruption activist Sergei Magnitsky. The sanctions authorities were then expanded under the Global Magnitsky Act in 2016 to cover all individuals believed to be involved in foreign corruption or human rights abuses.
