World leaders condemn Navalny sentence, Russia denounces ‘interference’

Australia on Wednesday turned the newest to hitch the worldwide group in demanding an instantaneous launch of Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne stated her nation is deeply involved by the 44-year-old’s arrest and sentencing.
“We call for Mr Navalny’s immediate and unconditional release,” she stated in an announcement.
Payne additionally raised considerations over the Kremlin’s therapy of peaceable protesters and journalists who’ve been detained over the previous couple of weeks.
On Tuesday, Navalny was sentenced to three 1/2 years in a penal colony for violating probation phrases, though he’ll solely serve two years and eight months because of time already spent underneath home arrest. The outspoken Kremlin critic referred to as the trial an try and “intimidate” the general public.
Shortly after the decision was introduced, leaders from completely different components of the world issued statements condemning the sentence.
Germany: Verdict a ‘bitter blow’ for freedoms
German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the courtroom’s determination as lawless and demanded an finish to violence towards peaceable protesters in Russia.
“The verdict against Alexei Navalny is far from any rule of law standards. Navalny must be released at once,” Merkel was quoted as saying in a tweet by her spokesman.
“Violence against peaceful demonstrators must stop,” she harassed.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas referred to as the ruling a “bitter blow against fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Russia.”
Ruling is ‘pure cowardice,’ says UK
In a tweet, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson additionally referred to as for Navalny’s launch and dubbed the ruling as “pure cowardice”, including that it failed to fulfill “the most basic standards of justice.”
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued an announcement saying that the “perverse ruling, targeting the victim of a poisoning rather than those responsible, shows Russia is failing to meet the most basic commitments expected of any responsible member of the international community.”
French President Emmanuel Macron stated the Kremlin dissident’s jailing was unacceptable.
“A political disagreement is never a crime. We call for his immediate release. The respect for human rights such as democratic freedom are not negotiable,” he stated.
European Council President Charles Michel stated that the EU won’t settle for the ruling.
“We do not accept his sentence — justice must not be politicized. Protesters have the right to demonstrate peacefully and voice their political views,” Michel stated on Twitter.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to launch Navalny and his supporters.
“We reiterate our call for the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Navalny, as well as the hundreds of other Russian citizens wrongfully detained in recent weeks for exercising their rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly,” he stated.
Russia lashes out at criticism
In an announcement to RBC information channel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, issued a scathing response to the rising worldwide criticism by asking international locations to not meddle within the Kremlin’s inner affairs.
“For the last few weeks we have been in a state of comments. And responses to similar attacks and statements,” she stated. “You should not interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state. And we recommend that everyone deal with their own problems … There are alot of problems in these countries, there is work to be done.”