The Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom condemns persecution of Alexei Navalny. It is another attempt of the authorities to get rid of Russia’s most powerful opposition politician.
His arrest on return from Berlin on January 17 and the demand of the Federal Prison Service to replace Alexei Navalny’s suspended sentence in the Yves Rocher case with a real prison term have nothing to do with justice. The ECHR recognized violations of Navalny’s rights in this case and ordered that Russia must compensate for moral damages and legal costs. Russia did not object the ruling and paid him a compensation.
But now, instead of having opened an investigation into Alexei Navalny’s poisoning, the Russian police offices detained him at the airport on January 17, didn’t allow his lawyer to accompany him and, on January 18, organised an emergency trial at the police station. The court ordered to arrest Navalny till February 15. This decision is completely unlawful. It is all happening to a a victim of an attempted poisoning with Novichok nerve agent.
We believe that Russia deserves a better future. We demand immediate release of Alexei Navalny.