Navalny faces years in prison - Moscow verdict sparks worldwide outrage

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2021 The fact that Kremlin critic Navalny will now actually have to spend time behind bars for allegedly violating parole conditions is causing horror in Europe and the United States. German government representatives speak of "cynicism" and demand the immediate release of the 44-year-old. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticized the verdict against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in Russia as "far removed from any rule of law." Navalny must be "released immediately," government spokesman Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter. Violence against peaceful protesters must stop, he added. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter, "Navalny must be released immediately." He said the verdict was "a bitter blow to firmly entrenched civil liberties and the rule of law in Russia." The European Court of Human Rights had "already criticized the proceedings against Nawalny as arbitrary in 2017," Maas added. A court in Moscow had ruled that evening that Navalny must now serve a three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence already imposed in a 2014 criminal case in a penal colony. A previous house arrest will be deducted from the time, leaving about two and a half years of imprisonment, according to his lawyer. "First poisoning Nawalny and then putting him in prison for failing to fulfill parole conditions while in a coma? Pure cynicism," Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer tweeted. She tagged her criticism with the hashtag "#FreeNavalny." The decision was "both appalling cynicism and a complete disregard for the rule of law and international obligations by Russia," Kramp-Karrenbauer's Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter. The Baltic EU and NATO country's chief diplomat called for EU sanctions and immediate action by the Council of Europe. A statement from the Foreign Ministry in Riga said the verdict was to be expected: "This is another step in the systematic restriction of human rights and freedoms in Russia." EU foreign affairs envoy travels to Moscow EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the prison sentence for Nawalny "in the strongest possible terms" in a Twitter message. "I call on Russia to comply with its international obligations and release him immediately and unconditionally," von der Leyen wrote. Council President Charles Michel said the EU did not accept the verdict. "Justice must not be politicized," he wrote on Twitter. EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell also called for the immediate release of Russia President Vladimir Putin's best-known opponent. With the verdict, Russia "violated its international obligations to the rule of law and fundamental freedoms," Borrell said on Twitter. The EU foreign affairs envoy is expected to travel to Moscow on Thursday for a two-day visit. Diplomatic sources said the EU remains committed to the visit even after Nawalny's conviction. During his stay in Moscow, Borrell also plans to address "the widespread arrests" during protests against Putin over the past two weekends, according to a spokesman. He has also asked Russian authorities for a meeting with the Kremlin critic. "Political dissent is never a crime" British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said after the verdict was handed down, "Today's perverse decision, directed against the victim of a poisoning rather than those responsible, shows that Russia is failing to meet the most basic obligations expected of a responsible member of the international community." He also called for the release of "all peaceful demonstrators and journalists" arrested recently during protests against Putin. His U.S. counterpart expressed similar sentiments. Navalny must be released "immediately and unconditionally," Antony Blinken declared. The hundreds of protesters detained in recent weeks must also be released, he added. France's head of state Emmanuel Macron commented on the judge's ruling via Twitter. "Political dissent is never a crime," the 43-year-old said. "We call for his immediate release," he wrote, referring to Navalny. Norway's Foreign Ministry tweeted, "Russian authorities must stop their politically motivated persecution of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Using the judicial system to gag him is unacceptable. He must be released immediately."