Senate panel OKs bill on Russian human rights

WASHINGTON — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a bill that would impose tough sanctions on Russian human rights violators.

The legislation, adopted by voice vote Tuesday, would impose visa bans and freeze the assets of those held responsible for gross human rights violations in Russia as well as other human rights abusers. Specifically, it targets those allegedly involved in the imprisonment, torture and death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian jail in 2009.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee has approved similar legislation, but the full House hasn't acted.

The Senate is expected to link the legislation to a measure to normalize trade relations between the United States and Russia. The Senate bill was sponsored by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.