Maria Pechenovich Borich, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, called on Tuesday for the release of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who has been imprisoned for two years.
Maria Pechenovich Borich, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, called on Tuesday for the release of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who has been imprisoned for two years.
The second anniversary of Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment in Russia
A statement by Pechenovich Borich said that today “marks the second anniversary of Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment in Russia after the poisoning attempt he was subjected to. Since then, and despite the calls of the Council of Europe to release him without delay, according to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, he remains imprisoned.” in very harsh conditions.”
Pechenovich Burić renewed “our organization’s solidarity with Alexei Navalny, stressing that he “must not be forgotten and will not be forgotten.”
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the body concerned with the protection of human rights on the continent, called on the Russian authorities to implement the court ruling and the subsequent decisions of the Committee of Ministers related to the Navalny file, without delay.
Denying Navalny health care
Navalny declared he was suffering from flu symptoms and was being denied good care last week, while his supporters denounced the Kremlin’s attempt to slowly “kill” him.
“I would like to express my deep concern about the information indicating that Alexei Navalny has been ill-treated and the harsh conditions of his detention, which have serious repercussions for his health,” said Pechenovich Burić.
“I urge the Russian authorities to ensure that he receives the necessary care immediately,” she added.
Navalny, 46, has been in prison for two years in a prison on the outskirts of Vladimir, 230 km east of Moscow, in implementation of a court ruling issued last March, imprisoning him for nine years on charges of “fraud”, which he considers an attempt to silence him.
Navalny was arrested in Russia in January 2021, upon his return to the country, after he was subjected to a dangerous poisoning attempt, which he accused the Kremlin of orchestrating.
But it is highly unlikely that Russia will have any regard for the statements of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Russia left the Council of Europe in mid-March 2022, shortly after the start of its military attack on Ukraine.
Last June, Russian deputies passed a law allowing Russia not to implement decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.
