World Arrest of Navalny: MEPs call for sanctions against Russian oligarchs

© AP - John Thys The head of European diplomacy in Brussels on January 19, 2021.

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs condemn the arrest of 'Alexei Navalny on Sunday upon his arrival at Moscow airport from Germany. They are calling for his immediate release and that of the 70 people waiting for the Russian opponent at the airport.

The European Parliament on Thursday asked the Member States to sanction the Russian officials involved in the arrest of the opponent Alexeï Navalny in Moscow and the oligarchs close to President Vladimir Poutine. The elected officials made these demands in a resolution adopted by 581 votes to 50 and 44 abstentions, and want their position to be taken into account by the EU's foreign ministers during their videoconference meeting next Monday.

Russia's Navalny decries "lawlessness" of hastily convened jailhouse hearing

Putin's No. 1 foe, detained in Moscow after poisoning, says he's "seen a lot of mockery of justice," but his sudden appearance before a judge, "is the highest degree of lawlessness."Navalny's lawyers were not allowed to see the politician before the hearing on Monday, which they learned about just minutes before it started at a police station in the outskirts of Moscow. The judge gave Navalny's defense team 30 minutes to familiarize themselves with the case materials and said they could then have another 20 minutes to communicate with their client, before ordering a recess of 50 minutes.

Alexei Navalny calls for EU sanctions on Russian oligarchs Navalny , who survived an assassination attempt with a chemical weapon in August and received treatment at a German hospital, told a hearing of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee that the EU should sanction individual oligarchs as

“ Russian oligarchs linked to the regime”. Members of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. And “ Russian media propagandists, who After Alexey Navalny ’s arrest , his associate Vladimir Ashurkov published a list of Russian nationals who, in Navalny ’s opinion, ought to be placed under sanctions .

For MEPs, the arrest of Alexei Navalny is a way of silencing or even eliminating him as the elections in Russia approach this fall. Parliamentarians are asking to expand the sanctions regime affecting Russia, reports our correspondent in Brussels, Joana Hostein .

“Let us remember the words spoken in this Parliament by Mr. Navalny himself, notably declared the French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, member of the Socialist delegation. "If you want to help us fight this regime, then sanction the oligarchs who spend from you, the money they steal from us. Let us show that we cannot both violate human rights in Moscow and spend his money in Courchevel or on the Côte d'Azur ". "

The resolution calls for sanctioning" Russian oligarchs linked to the regime, members of President Putin's inner circle and propagandists active in the media who have assets in the EU and who are currently authorized to travel freely ”as Alexeï Navalny himself had recommended to the European Parliament during a videoconference in November.

Russia to detain Kremlin critic Navalny for 30 days, spokesperson says

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is widely regarded as the most prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin.Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter that a hastily arranged court hearing had decided Navalny would be kept in police custody through to Feb. 15. She added that it was not yet known exactly where he would be held.

Russian police threatened to prosecute those who spread calls to join nationwide protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny amid the authorities’ campaign to discourage attendance, Interfax reported Thursday. MEPs : Sanction Oligarchs , Stop Nord Stream 2 After Navalny Detention.

Russia dismissed calls Tuesday for opposition leader Alexei Navalny ’s release and threats of sanctions after his arrest , calling the issue a national matter. Responding to calls for sanctions against Moscow a day after Navalny was arrested , a Kremlin spokesperson said Navalny ’s case

► To read also: Alexeï Navalny, "a puzzle for Vladimir Poutine"

Many deputies want to go further and ask for an end to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project which should intensify the transit of gas between the Germany and Russia. “This is a project carried out by private companies. The European Commission considers that it will not make it possible to diversify the sources of energy supply for the European Union. But we cannot prevent these companies from building it, if the German government supports it, ”replied Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy.

The new sanctions regime will be discussed on Monday at the meeting of European affairs ministers foreign, promises the head of diplomacy.

(With AFP)