Signed into law by PresidentBarack Obama on December 14, 2012
TheMagnitsky Act, formally theRussia and Moldova Jackson–Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012, is a bipartisan U.S. federal law enacted in 2012. It imposes sanctions on Russian officials deemed responsible for the death of Russian tax lawyerSergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009. The act also repealed theJackson–Vanik amendment, grantingpermanent normal trade relations status to Russia and Moldova. It was signed into law by PresidentBarack Obama on December 14, 2012.
TheGlobal Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, enacted in 2016 as part of theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, extends the original act's framework to sanction foreign officials worldwide for human rights violations or significant corruption, authorizing asset freezes and U.S. entry bans.[1]
In 2009, Russian tax lawyerSergei Magnitsky uncovered a $230 million tax fraud scheme involving Russian officials. After reporting the corruption, he was arrested, accused of the fraud himself, and detained in Moscow's Butyrka prison. Magnitsky suffered from untreated medical conditions, including gallstones, pancreatitis, and calculous cholecystitis. After nearly a year in custody, he died in November 2009, with reports indicating he was beaten by prison guards.[2][3] The case drew international attention, highlighting systemic corruption and human rights abuses in Russia.
American businessmanBill Browder, Magnitsky's employer and a prominent investor in Russia, campaigned for justice. Browder lobbied U.S. lawmakers, including SenatorsBenjamin Cardin andJohn McCain, to introduce legislation targeting those responsible for Magnitsky's death and related corruption.[4]
The Magnitsky Act originated as theSergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (H.R. 4405), introduced in theUnited States House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The bill aimed to bar Russian officials linked to Magnitsky's death from entering the U.S. or using its banking system.[5] In June 2012, theSenate, led by SenatorBen Cardin, incorporated the measure into a broader bill (H.R. 6156) to repeal theJackson–Vanik amendment, a Cold War-era trade restriction.[6]
The Obama administration initially opposed the sanctions, citing diplomatic concerns, but Congress tied the amendment's repeal to the Magnitsky provisions. On November 16, 2012, the House passed H.R. 6156 by a vote of 365–43.[7] The Senate followed on December 6, 2012, with a 92–4 vote.[8] President Obama signed the bill into law on December 14, 2012.[9]
In April 2013, theU.S. Department of the Treasury published a list of 18 individuals sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act, including Russian officials and others implicated in the case ofSergei Magnitsky.[10] Notable names include:
TheGlobal Magnitsky Act has since sanctioned individuals from various countries, particularly after PresidentDonald Trump delegated authority in 2017 for financial sanctions to the Treasury Secretary and visa restrictions to the Secretary of State.[11] Executive Order 13818 (issued December 21, 2017) sanctioned,inter alia:[12]
Yahya Jammeh, former Gambian president, for corruption and human rights abuses.
Dan Gertler, an Israeli businessman, for corrupt mining deals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Subsequent sanctions have included:
Abdulaziz al-Hasawi, implicated in the 2018 assassination of journalistJamal Khashoggi.[13]
Alexandre de Moraes, aBrazilian Supreme Court Justice, sanctioned July 30, 2025, for alleged judicial overreach and restrictions on free speech. The U.S. Department of the Treasury stated that the sanctions addressed actions perceived as undermining democratic processes, including Moraes's rulings to suspend social media accounts and restrict online content to combat disinformation.[16]
Viviane Barci de Moraes, Alexandre de Moraes' wife, and LEX - INSTITUTO DE ESTUDOS JURIDICOS LTDA entity, sanctioned September 22, 2025.[17]
A 2017 settlement with Prevezon Holdings, linked to Magnitsky's fraud case, resulted in a $5.8 million fine.[21]
Russia retaliated by enacting theDima Yakovlev Law, banning U.S. adoptions of Russian children, and issuing a reciprocal list of 18 U.S. officials barred from entering Russia.[22] The Russian government also posthumously convicted Magnitsky in 2013, a move widely criticized as symbolic retribution. Russian lobbying efforts, including through lawyerNatalia Veselnitskaya, sought to undermine the act, notably during a 2016Trump Tower meeting withDonald Trump Jr.[23]
The act has been praised by some human rights advocates, such asGeoffrey Robertson, who called it a groundbreaking tool to target low-level enablers of human rights abuses.[24] Russian dissidentsVladimir Kara-Murza andBoris Nemtsov described it as “pro-Russian” for promoting accountability.[25] Critics, including Russian official Yevgeny Fedorov, argue it serves U.S. geopolitical interests.[26] Some, likeBill Van Auken, have accused the U.S. of selective enforcement, citing its support for other regimes with human rights violations.[27]
Browder, Bill (2015).Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice (Reprint ed.). Simon & Schuster.ISBN978-1-4767-5574-8.
Moiseienko, Anton (2015). "'No Safe Haven': Denying Entry to the Corrupt as a New Anti-Corruption Policy".Journal of Money Laundering Control.18 (4):400–410.doi:10.1108/JMLC-01-2014-0004.S2CID154067684.
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