ZEMBLA investigates the story of Sergei Magnitsky: a Russian lawyer who died in prison after his testimony about the largest Russian tax fraud in history. Police officers and employees of the Russian tax authorities collaborated with a criminal gang to steal 230 million dollars from the Russian tax payers. Magnitsky became a symbol for Russian human rights atrocities.
Bill Browder, Magnitsky’s client, began a worldwide campaign to punish the fraudsters and murderers. Several countries imposed sanctions which led to a furious reaction by the Kremlin. But other countries refuse to take a harsh stance towards Putin’s kleptocracy. ZEMBLA shows the Dutch government’s unwillingness to impose Magnitsky- sanctions and The Hague’s appeasement of Putin.