Russia Bans Congressman and Soldiers; Cites Human Rights Abuses at Abu Ghraib

In retaliation for the US banning a member of their parliament, Russia today announced the banning of one Congressman due to alleged financial impropriety, and 12 Americans related in some way to Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, due to alleged human rights violations.

A statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry put Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) on the ban list, and POLITICO reports that his ban was directly “in response to the July 2 U.S. ban on Russian parliament member Adam Delimkhanov.” The statement also accused Moran of various, unnamed financial “misdeeds”.

In addition, they also banned 12 people connected to Guantanamo Bay and the Abu Ghraib scandals, including Lynndie England, the woman photographed mocking and torturing prisoners of war in Iraq. This is in direct retaliation for an incident in May, when the US placed sanctions on 12 Russians they believed to be involved in the death of whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky.

[POLITICO]
[Image via screenshot]

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