Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, in a statement on the occasion of the second anniversary of Alexei Navalny’s prison sentence, he condemned the Russian authorities for the abuse and torture of which the opponent is a victim in detention.
According to Borrell, Russia “is responsible for the safety and health” of Navalny, who “from his prison cell courageously continues to speak out against the suppression of freedom of expression and independent media”.
The representative of the European Union also noted that “Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine, which has lasted since the twelfth month, has only increased internal repression and the systematic persecution of most vocal critics of the Kremlin and of civil society in general.”
On February 2, 2021, a Russian court sentenced Alexeï Navalny to an actual prison term instead of a suspended sentence in the so-called Yves Rocher case. Later, the opponent was transferred to Vladimir Colony No. 6, where he is still. Already in the colony, Navalny was also convicted of cases of fraud and contempt of court.
Recently, Navalny practically does not leave the punishment cell, where he is sent for far-fetched reasons or minor violations – for example, because he did not wash his face in time or did not fasten a button on her robe in accordance with the charter. For six months, the opponent spent more than 100 days in the ShIZO, which led to a sharp deterioration in his health.
Currently, several other criminal cases are being investigated against Navalny. He is notably accused of terrorism and extremism. Based on all the charges, a politician can spend about 30 years in prison.
