MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, Nekrasov premiered his documentary film, "Magnitsky Act — Behind the Scenes" at the Newseum in Washington, DC. The film documents the involvement of UK-based Hermitage Capital CEO William Browder in the theft of nearly a quarter billion dollars in Russian federal funds. The film also debunks the allegations that Magnitsky, who worked for Browder's firm, suffered human rights abuses at the hands of Russian law enforcement.
"The film by director Andrei Nekrasov was shown in Washington behind closed doors. It cannot be said that Nekrasov is famous for his love of Russia. Indeed, he made a few TV shows and movies, which, in principle, illuminate the negative side of Russia. But he directed a film about the Magnitsky; he found the courage to see what was happening and made the film about the truth. And that film is a sentence for Browder," Chaika said at the Russian Council of Federation.
Nekrasov was at the US Capitol on Tuesday to discuss his documentary film. Following a congressional hearing on US-Russian policies, the filmmaker said that the Magnitsky story is not about human rights, but that the Magnitsky-Browder story is about a big financial crime and this should be the narrative.
Representatives of the Newseum Hall told local media that Browder and Magnitsky's widow sent Nekrasov a letter asking him to cancel the event but he refused to do so.
The US Congress and President Barack Obama implemented the Magnitsky Act in 2012, which imposes sanctions and travel bans on individuals the US believes were involved in the death of Sergei Magnitsky. The passage of the bill was celebrated as a victory for human rights advocates.
