WASHINGTON - The Obama administration says that it has imposed travel restrictions on 60 Russian officials suspected of involvement in the imprisonment and killing of a lawyer.

Sergey Magnitsky died in late 2009 after spending almost a year in jail. He was awaiting trial on tax-evasion charges linked to his work with a US-born investor barred from Russia because of allegations he was a security risk.

Some US lawmakers have been pushing for legislation that would impose a travel ban and asset freeze on the 60 Russians who they believe to be involved in Magnitsky's persecution.

In a document sent to lawmakers, the administration said that it had already flagged those officials for restrictions.