U.S. names 18 people as alleged human rights abusers in Russia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday designated 18 people under a U.S. law requiring a list of alleged human rights abusers in Russia, in a move that could cause more friction in U.S. ties with Moscow.

The list includes 16 people directly related to the case of Russian whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, who died in his jail cell in 2009, as well as two others, a senior State Department official said on condition of anonymity. Those named on the list will be subject to visa bans and asset freezes in the United States under a law passed by Congress last year.