Is there justice in Russia? Their misguided sense of national pride puts that in doubt. Sergei Magnitsky uncovered a tax scam committed by top officials in their government. Instead of being celebrated for his heroism, he was imprisoned and neglected, leading him to needlessly die from a treatable illness. Furthermore, he was charged with the very tax scam he uncovered, and was investigated by the very officials he had blamed. To make it all the more ugly and ridiculous, Russia is putting the dead lawyer on trial -- the first posthumous trial in modern Russian history -- and this to the outrage of his family, who are boycotting the trial.

The U.S. has supported Magnitisky, leading the Russians to feel criticized, their egos hurt. That is why they hit back by banning US adoptions of Russian children. Magnitsky has become a symbol of rights abuse in Russia, and US Congress has adopted a law sanctioning Russia officials believed responsible for his death.

As the adoption ban makes clear, Russia is not interested in justice, but in public image, and will go so far as to try and incriminate a man who probably was a hero, not a villain, and this despite that he is now dead.

"I see this trial as desecration of the memory of my husband Sergei Magnitsky," said Natalie Zharikova "I think this trial has no legal foundation and goes against principles of rights and human values."



The West agrees.