Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 20 November 2018
Russian brings new charges against Kremlin critic Browder

By NATALIYA VASILYEVA Browder after reviewing ev-
Associated Press idence submitted by Nata-
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian lia Veselnitskaya, a Russian
prosecutors on Monday lawyer who met Donald
announced a new crimi- Trump Jr. during the 2016
nal case against Kremlin presidential campaign and
critic Bill Browder, raising who lobbied for the repeal
the pressure on him before of the Magnitsky Act.
European Union discussions Emails later released by
about a set of sanctions he Trump Jr. show that she had
is advocating. been described as a "Rus-
They also revealed a "theo- sian government attorney."
ry" that he could be behind President Donald Trump
the death of his employee, acknowledged in August
Sergei Magnitsky, in a Rus- that the meeting at the
sian prison. Trump Tower was supposed
Magnitsky, a lawyer who to "get information" on Hill-
alleged he had uncovered ary Clinton.
$230 million in tax fraud The new charges against
by Russian officials, died Browder follow his 2013
in 2009 following a year in conviction in absentia by a
pre-trial detention. A Rus- Moscow court on tax eva-
sian presidential commis- sion charges that he dis-
sion concluded that he had missed as a sham.
been beaten and denied From left, an aide to the Russian Prosecutor General Mikhail Alexandrov, Russian Prosecutor The announcement comes
medical care. Two prison General spokesman Alexander Kurennoi, and an aide to the Russian Prosecutor General Nikolai as the Netherlands is pre-
doctors were charged with Atmoniev attend a news conference in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. Associated Press paring to host diplomats
negligence leading to his from all EU member states
death, but one was acquit- Magnitsky, in the United criminal group to embezzle into the poisoning with a to discuss a pan-EU Mag-
ted by a court in 2013 and States imposing travel and funds in Russia. They also military-grade substance nitsky Act.
the other didn't face justice financial sanctions on top said they suspect Mag- of three people they called Browder told The Associ-
because of a statute of lim- Russian officials, including nitsky's death in prison Browder's associates and ated Press on Monday that
itations. U.S.-born Browder, prosecutors. Several other was a poisoning and said said that it is "highly likely" he has no relation to the
who owned a major invest- countries have since ad- they have a "theory" that that Magnitsky, who they three men named by the
ment fund in Russia, has opted the Magnitsky Act. Browder was behind it. said displayed similar symp- prosecutors and described
mounted a campaign to Russian prosecutors on Mikhail Alexandrov of the toms, was poisoned as well. the accusations of poison-
bring Magnitsky's killers to Monday announced new Prosecutor General's Of- The prosecutors said that ing as an attempt to dis-
justice. He pushed through charges against Browder, fice told reporters that they they decided to pursue credit his campaign for jus-
legislation, named after accusing him of forming a opened a criminal case the new charges against tice for Magnitsky.q

6 Romanian ministers fired as party leader seeks more power

By ALISON MUTLER the transport ministry, while
Associated Press the others lost their ministe-
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) rial posts.
— Romania's ruling Social The defense minister re-
Democratic Party fired six signed earlier Monday.
ministers on Monday as Premier Viorica Dancila
the beleaguered party said the changes were
chairman sought to tight- necessary because "we
en his grip on the govern- have to respond to new
ment. challenges ... both in the
Social Democrat chair- government and also as
man Liviu Dragnea has we (prepare) to take over
come under fire for his the European Union presi-
management style and dency on Jan. 1."
corruption convictions, but Dancila, who has little ex-
has vowed to continue as ecutive power, thanked
party leader even though the previous ministers and
he can't be prime minister explained why the party's
because of a conviction in new ministerial proposals
2016 for vote-rigging. were suitable.
During a meeting, the par- Dragnea who effectively
ty voted to fire the trans- runs the government said
port, economy, labor, Monday's decisions were
culture, development, "political and managerial."
sports and communica- In this April 27, 2018 file photo, the leader of Romania's ruling Social Democratic party, Liviu He was handed a 3½-year
tion ministers. Dragnea Dragnea, grimaces as he walks out of the anti-corruption prosecutors' office, in Bucharest, sentence in June for abuse
ally Lia Olguta Vasilescu Romania. of power in office, which
switched from the labor to Associated Press he has appealed.q