The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday “On the inhuman conditions of detention of Alexei Navalny”. IN document presented by representatives of the five factions of the European Parliament, it is said that Navalny, who had already been poisoned, has been in detention since January 2021, while being subjected to torture, arbitrary punishment and psychological pressure.
The document calls for the release of Navalny and other Russian political prisoners convicted for their ties to Navalny, their opposition to the war in Ukraine or under so-called army forgeries. Named in particular the names of opponents Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza, city deputy Alexei Gorinov, journalist Maria Ponomarenko, artist Sasha Skochilenko and others. It is stressed that the European Parliament “stands in solidarity with Navalny and other courageous Russian political prisoners in their fight for democracy in Russia”. Until Navalny and the other prisoners are released, doctors and lawyers must have access to them and the normal conditions of their detention must be respected.
The European Parliament also called on EU bodies to support Russian civil society and help human rights defenders, activists and independent journalists in Russia.
The resolution also says that Ukraine and democracy in Russia must win, and “these two victories will also be victories for Alexei Navalny”, and the EU must help achieve these two goals. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin must, as the resolution says, be tried “for crimes against his own population”.
The European Parliament has repeatedly passed resolutions both supporting Navalny and condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine. In the last document, these topics are interrelated. European Parliament resolutions are of an advisory nature; EU and EU leaders have repeatedly called on Russian authorities to release Navalny or ease the conditions of his detention.
Navalny, who is in a strict-regime colony in the Vladimir region, recently said he was sent under strict conditions for six months – which means, among other things, he will not be granted visits.
