The US Secretary of State commented on the court’s decision in the case of the Russian opposition leader.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is deeply concerned by the Russian authorities ‘ decision to sentence opposition leader Alexei Navalny to two years and eight months in prison, replacing his suspended sentence with a prison sentence.
“Like every Russian citizen, Mr. Navalny has the rights provided for in the Russian Constitution, and Russia has international obligations to respect equality before the law and the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Blinken said.
“We once again call on the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Navalny, as well as hundreds of other Russian citizens illegally detained in recent weeks for exercising their rights, including the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” the Secretary of State added.
“The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) concluded that the sentence imposed on Navalny in 2014, which served as the basis for a new sentence, was “arbitrary and unfounded” and “politically motivated,” Blinken stated. – The current trial against Mr. Navalny, which began with his detention on January 17, is a continuation of efforts to violate Mr. Navalny’s rights and suppress political pluralism, as previously established by the ECHR.”
“Even as we work with Russia to advance the interests of the United States, we will closely coordinate with our allies and partners to hold Russia accountable for non-compliance with the rights of its citizens,” the head of the State Department concluded.
During a briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also stressed the US concern about the sentence imposed on Navalny. Among other Moscow actions that cause concern in Washington, she noted the suppression of peaceful protests, cyberattacks on US agencies and business structures, and interference in the presidential election.
