Sergei Magnitsky died in November 2009 after he was in pre-trial detention in a Moscow prison for almost one year.

The Australian reports that the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, was given the results of an inquiry into Magnitsky's death yesterday (6 July). It found that the lawyer was illegally arrested after accusing Russian policemen of tax fraud, and that while in prison he was tortured and denied medical treatment for a serious illness.

In a case that shocked much of Russia, Magnitsky was put into custody after he accused a group of Russian detectives of acting corruptly with regard to a $215 million tax fraud. Magnitsky discovered the alleged fraud while working as a lawyer for Hermitage Capital.

After exposing the alleged fraud, Magnitsky was then charged with fraud-related offences.

He was in prison for 11 months, during which time he developed a severe pancreatic condition for which he was denied treatment. It was also found that shortly before his death, Magnitsky was taken to a police cell and beaten with truncheons by eight prison guards.

The Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports that officials from the prison where the lawyer died have been sacked. At this stage, no officials have been charged with regard to the allegations of corruption made by Magnitsky.