Following the arrest of a frontline critic of President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Alexi Navalny, the United States and the European Union has reacted.
Navalny was arrested shortly after returning to Moscow for the first time since he was poisoned last year.
The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo accused Russian authorities of trying to silence critics of the government, while the incoming National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan said that the Kremlin’s attack on Navalny are not just a violation of human rights, but an affront to the Russian people who want their voices heard.
Also, in Europe, France, Italy, Germany and the President of the European Commission also called for his release.
Reacting to the arrest, the UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said, “rather than persecuting Mr. Navalny, Russia should explain how a chemical weapon came to be used on Russian soil,” he said.
Navalny was almost killed in an attack involving the nerve agent Novichok last August, which he blamed on the government. Although the government denied involvement, the allegation has been backed by reports from investigative journalists.
The Russian was held soon after his flight from Germany landed in Moscow on Sunday. According to state prosecutors, he violated the parole terms of a suspended sentence for embezzlement.
