WASHINGTON—U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, introduced H. Res. 697, which recognizes the legacy of murdered Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, encourages the release of surveillance tapes in the area surrounding the crime scene, urges the United States Government to emphasize to Russia the importance of bringing Boris’s murderers to justice, and calls on the President to increase support for the causes for which Boris gave his life.

Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

“For many years, I had the honor of working with Boris as he fought courageously for a more open and democratic society in Putin’s Russia, including as an indispensable supporter of the Magnitsky Act. Undaunted by constant persecution, Boris was a tireless advocate for the country he loved, working relentlessly to expose Putin regime’s greed, corruption, and constant violation of human rights. Killed in the shadow of the Kremlin and just days before he was due to publish evidence of the Russian military’s involvement in Ukraine, the circumstances surrounding Boris’ murder are highly questionable but have yet to receive a proper investigation. Boris’ murder deserves a full and transparent investigation and I urge the administration to do everything it can to pressure the Putin regime to ensure Boris’ murderers are brought to justice while helping the Russian people achieve the free and just Russia for which Boris so bravely fought.”

Statement by Engel:

“I’m proud to join my friend Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to call for a thorough and credible investigation into the 2015 assassination of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. Our resolution also calls for Nemtsov’s killers to be brought to justice and for an increase in American support for democratic and civil-society groups inside Russia—groups that have been under increasingly vicious attack by the authorities. I had the pleasure of meeting Boris and admired his grit and charm in advancing such an important vision: that his fellow citizens should have a say in choosing their government, and that their government should abide by its own laws and international commitments to fundamental freedoms. That cause will never die.” 

To view the resolution, please click here.

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