Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is attending a rally to mark the 5th anniversary of the assassination of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and to protest against the proposed amendments to the country’s constitution in Moscow, Russia, on February 29, 2020.
Shamil Zhumatov | Reuters
WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has condemned “persistent use of harsh tactics” by Russian authorities on peaceful protesters who took to the streets across Russia on Sunday to demand the release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
For the second weekend in a row, tens of thousands gathered across the country in an effort to raise awareness of Navalny, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was detained earlier this month by authorities.
More than 4,500 people have been detained by Russian authorities for participating in the protests, according to a monitoring group.
“We renew our call for Russia to release detainees for the exercise of human rights, including Aleksey Navalny,” Blinken wrote in a tweet.
Last year, Navalny was medically evacuated to Germany from a Russian hospital after reports of something added to tea. Russian doctors who treated Navalny denied that the Kremlin critic had been poisoned and blamed his comatose state on his low blood sugar.
In September, the German government said the 44-year-old Russian dissident had been poisoned by a chemical nerve agent, describing the toxicology report as “unequivocal evidence”. The nervous agent was in the Novichok family, which was developed by the Soviet Union.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied having a role in poisoning Navalny.
Earlier this month, Navalny flew to Russia from Berlin, Germany, where he has spent nearly half a year recovering from poisoning last summer. He was arrested at passport control.
Russian authorities have issued a warrant for Navalny’s arrest, alleging that he violated the terms of a three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence he received in 2014 on charges of embezzlement.
“Mr Navalny should be released immediately, and the perpetrators of the outrageous attack on his life should be held accountable,” Jiden Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, wrote on Twitter following the arrest.
Last week, Blinken expressed “deep concern” over Navalny’s treatment and the wider human rights situation in Russia.
“It is striking to me how worried and perhaps even scared the Russian government seems to be of one man, Mr Navalny,” Blinken told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.
Recently confirmed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses reporters during his first press briefing at the Washington State Department on January 27, 2021.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
“In general, as the President has said, we are examining all these actions which concern us deeply whether it is Mr Navalny’s treatment and, in particular, the apparent use of a chemical weapon in his assassination attempt. “, added the top diplomat of the nation.
Blinken also said on Wednesday that the Biden administration is reviewing the hack on SolarWinds, reports of rewards placed by Russia on US forces in Afghanistan and potential electoral interference.
Biden had previously promised “to work with our allies and partners to hold the Putin regime accountable for its crimes.” He has previously accused the Trump administration of not taking a tough enough stance on Moscow.