Politics

EU ‘very concerned’ about Navalny’s disappearance, calls for his immediate release

Brussels, Dec 12 (EFE).- The European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, expressed deep concern on Tuesday about the disappearance of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was detained in Russia. He called for his “immediate release.”

“Highly worrying news of Navalny missing for 7 days. Russia’s political leadership is responsible for his safety & health in prison for which they will be held to account,” said Borrel through his X account (Formerly Twitter).

The EU’s head diplomat reiterated the call for his “immediate and unconditional release from politically motivated incarceration.”

On Tuesday the Kremlin said that they did not know Navalny’s whereabouts.

Navalny, serving a nearly 30-year prison sentence, has had no contact with his lawyers for a week. According to his associates in exile, he could have been transferred to a new prison.

The alarm was raised on Monday when the politician was no longer in prison number 6 in the Vladimir region, where he had been serving his sentence since June 2022. His collaborators denounced the impossibility of contacting him for a week.

At the moment, it is unknown whether the opposition leader’s transfer will be to a prison in the European part of Russia or to another one in Siberia.

Navalny’s allies accuse the Kremlin of trying to silence him shortly after President Vladimir Putin announced his plans to run for re-election in 2024.

On Dec. 7 last year, Navalny called from prison to vote against the Kremlin chief in the March 17 elections.

Navalny also announced the launch of a website (neputin.org) that called on Russians to support any candidate for the presidency other than the current head of the Kremlin. EFE

rja/dgp/mcd

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