Summary A list naming the Russians is expected to be released Friday.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is set to announce which Russians accused of human rights abuses will face financial sanctions and visa bans under a new law.
A list naming the Russians is expected to be released Friday. It has already provoked anger from the Russian government, which threatens to retaliate with its own sanctions.
The list is authorized by the Magnitsky Act. Sergei Magnitsky was a Russian lawyer arrested in 2008 for tax evasion after accusing Russian police officials of stealing $230 million in tax rebates. In prison, Magnitsky was repeatedly beaten and denied medical treatment. He died in 2009 of untreated pancreatitis.
The law targets not only those tied to Magnitsky's death, but also those involved in other abuses. Some lawmakers are pressuring the Obama administration to target high-level officials.
