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Council of Europe calls for Navalny release

Leaders of the 46-member Council of Europe have expressed “deep concern” about Alexei Navalny (pictured), amid reports that his health is deteriorating.

Navalny, a critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, has been in prison for two years after an attempt on his life by poisoning.

He was arrested and detained in January 2021 for having breached the terms of a suspended sentence passed in a fraud case. In February 2021, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Medical care

“We are gravely concerned by reports of ill-treatment and cruel detention conditions to which Alexei Navalny is subjected, and call on Russia to immediately ensure appropriate medical care,” said a statement.

The call came from Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir (Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers), Tiny Kox (President of the Parliamentary Assembly), and, and Marija Pejčinović Burić (Secretary General of the Council of Europe).

“In line with relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), as well as decisions of the Committee of Ministers, we reiterate our calls for the release of Mr Navalny without delay, and we underline the unconditional obligation of Russia to fully execute all final judgments of the court,” their statement added.

The ECtHR has ruled that his conviction violated his right to a fair trial, and the prohibition on punishment without law, and has called for the domestic courts to remedy these violations.