The European Parliament adopted by 497 votes to 17, with 33 abstentions, a resolution on the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexei Navalny.
The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA and ECR groups.
Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian political figure and laureate of the 2021 Sakharov Prize, who was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent by the Kremlin regime, has been detained since 17 January 2021 and is currently incarcerated in a penal colony. Since his arrest, Navalny has been subjected to ill-treatment, including torture, arbitrary punishment and psychological pressure.
The Kremlin’s behaviour towards political opponents and political prisoners, including Navalny, reveals its brutal nature, as does its war against both Ukraine and democratically-minded Russians.
Parliament stands together with Alexei Navalny and all other brave Russian political prisoners in their fight for democracy in Russia. It calls for the release of Navalny and all other political prisoners in Russia.
Parliament demands that, pending their release, the conditions in which Navalny and all other prisoners are detained be brought into compliance with Russia’s international obligations, in particular regarding Navalny’s access to doctors of his choice and medical treatment in a civilian hospital, his right to move to a pre-trial facility with access to his lawyers, and communication with his family.
The EU institutions are urged to:
- continue monitoring the human rights situation in Russia;
- support Russian civil society.
Member States are called on to provide assistance to Russian human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists and independent journalists in and outside of Russia.
Parliament stressed that the EU and the democratic community need a clear strategy to support victories for both Ukraine and for democracy in Russia, which would also be a victory for Navalny.
Lastly, Parliament stressed that Putin must be put on trial for crimes against his own population and that the Council should adopt restrictive measures against those responsible for arbitrary prosecutions and torture against anti-war protesters.