Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


EU, US Demand Release of Kremlin Critic as Calls Grow for 'Magnitsky'
Sanctions

Henry Ridgwell

   LONDON - Western leaders have demanded the release of Russian
   opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was arrested Sunday on arrival in
   Moscow after receiving medical treatment in Germany.

   The 44-year-old Putin critic and leader of the Russia of the Future
   party was poisoned by a nerve agent in Siberia last August. The Kremlin
   denies involvement in that attack.

   "The Russian authorities have arrested the victim of an attempted
   assassination with a chemical weapon, not the perpetrator," German
   government spokesperson Steffen Seibert told reporters Monday. "The
   German government strongly calls on the Russian government to first of
   all release Mr. Navalny immediately and secondly to fully investigate
   the circumstances of the chemical weapons attack on Russian soil," he
   added.

   Other European leaders echoed that demand, while the United Nations'
   human rights office said it was "deeply troubled" by Navalny's arrest.

   U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the same words on Twitter:
   "Deeply troubled by Russia's decision to arrest Aleksey Navalny.
   Confident political leaders do not fear competing voices, nor see the
   need to commit violence against or wrongfully detain, political
   opponents."

   President-elect Joe Biden's incoming national security adviser Jake
   Sullivan tweeted: "Mr. Navalny should be immediately released, and the
   perpetrators of the outrageous attack on his life must be held
   accountable. The Kremlin's attacks on Mr. Navalny are not just a
   violation of human rights, but an affront to the Russian people who
   want their voices heard."

   Navalny was arrested as he entered passport control in Moscow's
   Sheremetyevo airport Sunday evening. Dozens of his supporters, who had
   gathered at a different airport before Navalny's plane was diverted,
   were also taken into custody. There were further arrests Monday in St.
   Petersburg as his supporters staged street protests.

.