Arrest of Alexey Navalny: von der Leyen, “the Russian authorities must immediately release him”. Sassoli, “an offence to the international community”

Voices of protest are rising from Brussels after the arrest of Alexey Navalny, a dissident, in Russia. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, states: “I condemn the arrest of Alexei Navalny by the Russian authorities yesterday” on his return to Moscow. “The Russian authorities should immediately release him and ensure his safety. The detention of political opponents is against Russia’s international commitments. In addition, we are still waiting for an extensive investigation of the attack on Navalny’s life. We will closely monitor the situation”. David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, adds: “The arrest of Alexey Navalny in Moscow is an offence to the international community and to Europe that helped save his life. We ask the Russian authorities to immediately release him”. Sassoli specifies: “We are ready to invite him to the European Parliament”. Charles Michel, president of the European Council, after stating that “the detention of Alexey Navalny on his arrival in Moscow is inacceptable”, asks “the Russian authorities to immediately release him”.
Valentina Bombelli