Brussels: The European Union (EU) said, Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian authorities bear "ultimate responsibility" for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the EU said in a statement, "Today marks one year since the death of Russian opposition leader politician Alexei Navalny, for which President Putin and Russian authorities bear ultimate responsibility," stressing that Navalny gave his life "for a free and democratic Russia." The EU noted that "As Russia intensifies its illegal aggressive war against Ukraine, it also continues its internal repression, targeting those who stand for democracy." The EU called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of Navalny's "unjustly imprisoned" lawyers and all political prisoners.
The EU also urged Russia to end what it described as "its brutal repression of civil society, media, and opposition members" and to comply with international law.
Since 2020, the EU has imposed sanctions on those deemed responsible for the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, his arrest, unfair prosecution, and politically motivated sentencing. In 2024, the EU also adopted a human rights-focused sanctions regime targeting Russian officials responsible for human rights violations and repression.