Concerns about the circumstances surrounding this tragedy were expressed yesterday by Chairperson of the Presidential Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Ella Pamfilova, at a meeting of the Council held by Dmitry Medvedev.
The President also instructed Mr Chaika and Mr Konovalov to check the quality of medical care provided in the Federal Penitentiary Service facilities.
In addition, Mr Medvedev asked them to review the practice of using detention measures against persons accused of committing economic crimes, as well as to submit proposals on improving legislation in this area.
A lawyer for the British investment fund Hermitage Capital, 37-year-old Sergei Magnitsky, died in a pre-trial detention centre on November 16. According to preliminary evidence, he died of heart failure.
As a result of an investigation carried out by a committee of Russia's Ministry of the Interior, Sergei Magnitsky was charged with organising and assisting in tax evasion involving a particularly large sum, in excess of half a billion rubles.
The head of Hermitage Capital, William Browder, is on an international wanted list as a result of charges related to the same case.