All news

Moscow sees attempts to expand Magnitsky List as politicization

Konstantin Dolgov did not rule out that U.S. could impose sanctions on Russia “for insufficient efforts of Russia in fight against human trafficking”

MOSCOW, July 31 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow regards appeals to expand the so-called Magnitsky List as politicization.

“Our attitude to the (Magnitsky) list itself as well as its expansion is categorically negative,” Russian Foreign Ministry’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Konstantin Dolgov, said. “Appeals to enlarge the Magnitsky List are politicization,” he said. “If anyone has any questions, ask them,” the diplomat told reporters.

“This is the right of the United States to allow or not any citizen into the country, nobody questions this,” Dolgov continued. “It is bad when this becomes the subject for politicizing,” he added.

At the same time Dolgov did not rule out that United States could impose sanctions on Russia “for insufficient efforts of the Russian Federation in fight against human trafficking”. Russia will retaliate in this case, he warned. “This will not be our choice, we would like to avoid that,” the diplomat said.