EU's Von Der Leyen, UK's Raab Condemn Navalny's Detention In Moscow, Call For His Release

MOSCOW/LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2021) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Monday condemned the detention of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny upon his arrival in Moscow and called for his immediate release.

Navalny returned to Russia on Sunday after receiving treatment in Germany following suspected poisoning. He was detained at a Moscow airport over multiple violations of probation.

"I condemn the detention of Alexei Navalny by the Russian authorities. They must immediately release him and ensure his safety," von der Leyen said in a statement.

The commission president added that detention of "political opponents" goes sideways with Moscow's international commitments.

Raab echoed the EU official's stance.

"It is appalling that Alexey Navalny, the victim of a despicable crime, has been detained by Russian authorities. He must be immediately released," Raab wrote on his Twitter account.

The UK foreign minister also said that "rather than persecuting Mr Navalny Russia should explain how a chemical weapon came to be used on Russian soil."

The US Department of State, European Council President Charles Michel and several European foreign ministers have already called on Moscow to release Navalny.

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek pledged to bring up the detention at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. European Parliament President David Sassoli, who qualified the detention as an offense to the international community, confirmed readiness to invite Navalny to the European Parliament.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov expressed his belief that Western calls for Navalny release were aimed at shifting attention from the crisis of the liberal development pattern.

On August 20, Navalny fell ill on a domestic flight in Russia. He was initially treated in the Siberian city of Omsk, where the plane made an emergency landing. Two days later, when the doctors determined that he was fit for cross-border aerial transportation, Navalny was taken to the Berlin-based Charite hospital for further treatment. Germany claims that doctors had found evidence of a poisonous nerve agent from the Novichok group in Navalny's body. Russia disputed these allegations, noting that its doctors had found no toxic substances while Navalny was treated in Omsk.