The Biden administration is “deeply concerned” by a Russian court’s decision on Tuesday to sentence opposition leader Alexei Navalny to 32 months in prison, officials said, reiterating its call for Moscow to release Navalny and his immediate release. others detained to protest his arrest.
“Like any Russian citizen, Mr. Navalny has the right to the rights enshrined in the Russian constitution, and Russia has international obligations to respect equality before the law and the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” the secretary of state said. Anthony Blink
Administrator Antony BlinkenBiden is “deeply concerned” by Navalny’s Russian court sentence Navalny sentenced to 2.5 years in prison Senate confirms Buttigieg as transport secretary he said in a statement.
“Even if we work with Russia to promote US interests, we will work closely with our allies and partners to hold Russia accountable for its failure to respect the rights of its citizens,” Blinken added.
A Moscow court ruled earlier on Tuesday that Navalny should serve his prison sentence for violating conditional conditions in 2014. Russian prosecutors have said he violated the conditions of his release by failing to register while recovering from an agent attack. nervous in Germany last year. The United States and other nations have accused Russia’s Federal Security Service of poisoning Navalny; Russia has denied involvement.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiWhite House Says Space Force to Continue Biden on Immigration Orders: “Eliminating Bad Policies” Biden offers condolences to families of FBI agents killed in Florida MORE reiterated Blinken’s statement at a briefing Tuesday afternoon, saying the White House was “deeply concerned” by the decision to convict Navalny and called on the Russian government to release Navalny and other detained Russians. wrongfully. She did not specify what action the US would take in response.
President Biden has ordered a comprehensive review of reports of Russian aggression, including Moscow’s involvement in the Navalny poisoning, as well as the SolarWinds hack, electoral interference and reports of Russian rewards on US forces in Afghanistan.
“This is an ongoing review by the national security team. When they conclude that they are launching … a political process to determine what steps we will take from here, “Psaki said.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday afternoon that officials were working on the comprehensive review “very quickly” and would not rule out taking action in response to Russia’s Navalny treatment before the entire review is completed. The review shall be conducted by the Director of National Information April Haines
Avril HainesGrenell congratulates Buttigieg on becoming the second member of Biden’s cabinet, open, gay, “deeply concerned” by the Navalny Senate’s Russian court ruling, confirming Buttigieg as secretary for transport MORE.
“The president directed his DNI to carry out this review precisely in order to have a holistic picture of what the Russians have done in recent years, so that we can ensure that our political options, which would include sanctions, but not necessarily the extent of these are properly calibrated, “Price told reporters.
Navalny received a 3.5-year suspended sentence in 2014 for extortion. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Navalny’s 2014 conviction was politically motivated. He was arrested in Russia last month, provoking widespread protests across the country.
The Biden administration has indicated that it intends to take a firm approach to dealing with Russian aggression, while trying to work with Moscow on issues of mutual interest, including accepting a five-year extension of the New START Nuclear Weapons Treaty with Moscow, which will expire month. Biden spoke with Putin last week and insisted on Moscow’s treatment of Navalny in addition to other areas of concern.