UPDATE - Europe calls on Russia to release Navalny

UPDATE - Europe calls on Russia to release Navalny

After treatment in Germany following poisoning, Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny arrested in Moscow

REVISED DECK; UPDATED WITH REACTIONS FROM NATO, EU COMMISSION

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - European countries and organizations on Monday called on Russia to release opposition politician Alexey Navalny after his arrest in the capital Moscow following five months in Germany, including medical treatment there for poisoning.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to release Navalny “immediately.”

Those responsible for the attempt to assassinate him, using a prohibited chemical weapon, must be brought to justice,” Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter, referring to Navalny’s poisoning last August – which many have accused Russian of being responsible for, an accusation Moscow denies.

He added: “Russia has to respect its international commitments on human rights and the rule of law.”

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: “I condemn the detention of Alexei Navalny yesterday by the Russian authorities, upon his return to Russia. The Russian authorities must immediately release him and ensure his safety.”

In a statement, she said the “detention of political opponents is against Russia's international commitments.”

She added: “We also continue to expect a thorough and independent investigation on the attack on Alexei Navalny's life. We will monitor the situation closely.”

EU Council President Charles Michel also called on Russia to "immediately" release Navalny.

“The detainment of Alexey Navalny upon arrival in Moscow is unacceptable. I call on Russian authorities to immediately release him,” said Michel on Twitter.


-‘Victim of serious attack’

“It is appalling that Alexey Navalny, the victim of a despicable crime, has been detained by Russian authorities. He must be immediately released,” said Dominic Raab, the British foreign secretary, on Twitter.

“Rather than persecuting Mr. Navalny Russia should explain how a chemical weapon came to be used on Russian soil,” added Raab.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also called on Russia to release Navalny, calling his detention “incomprehensible.”

“Russia is bound by its own constitution and by its international obligations to uphold the rule of law and protect civil rights. These principles must, of course, also be applied to Alexei Navalny. He should be released immediately,” said Maas in a statement.

“Navalny was the victim of a serious poisoning attack on Russian soil. We continue to expect Russia to do everything to fully investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he added.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also took to Twitter, saying: “Russian authorities must respect Alexei Navalny’s rights and release him immediately. Politicisation of the judiciary is unacceptable.”

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Twitter: “Deeply concerned by news that Alexei Navalny has been detained upon return to Moscow. Call on Russian authorities to release Mr Navalny. A healthy & vibrant opposition should be welcomed.”

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide also expressed concern, calling on Russia to “disclose the circumstances surrounding the poisoning of Navalny.”


- ‘Do not infringe on laws of sovereign states’

In a joint statement, the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania called Navalny’s detention “completely unacceptable,” adding: “We demand his immediate release. EU should act swiftly and if he is not released, we need to consider imposition of restrictive measures in response to this blatant act.”

From across the Atlantic, Jake Sullivan, US President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming national security advisor, also called on Russia to release Navalny.

“Mr. Navalny should be immediately released, and the perpetrators of the outrageous attack on his life must be held accountable. The Kremlin’s attacks on Mr. Navalny are not just a violation of human rights, but an affront to the Russian people who want their voices heard,” said Sullivan on Twitter.

But Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova balked at the criticism, suggesting that it infringed on Russia’s sovereign affairs.

“I would like to ask Mr. Sullivan and other foreign politicians posting canned statements - to respect international law, refrain from infringing on the laws of sovereign states and tackle their own countries’ issues," she said on Facebook.

Before his return and arrest, Navalny, 44, had been in Germany for five months after treatment there for poisoning.

Navalny, 44, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, fell sick last August on a flight to Moscow. After two days in a Russian hospital, he was sent to Germany for treatment.

After laboratory tests, German officials said Navalny was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent, which was also used, according to the UK government, in a 2018 attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the British town of Salisbury.

Russian authorities deny any involvement in the case and contend that chemical weapons are neither developed nor produced by Russia since the last chemical round was destroyed in 2017, as verified and certified by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.


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