The move followed an earlier statement on January 29 drafted and adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima on the detention of of Navalny, oppression and persecution of democratic opposition in the Russian Federation. In the Statement, MPs call for an immediate and unconditional release of Navalny and an investigation into his widely-reported poisoning.
The arrest of Navalny upon his brave return to his homeland following the attempt upon his life -- believed to be the work of the FSB -- resulted in an immediate kangaroo court trial and widespread protests against his subsequent sentencing that brought a brutal response from the Kremlin.
“In response to the detention of Aleksey Navalny and with reference to the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime introduced by the European Union, we call on the Russian public authorities to immediately discontinue the persecution, intimidation and suppression, as well as other forms of violations of the human rights of their political opponents and social activists,” said Rihards Kols, Chair of the Committee, who also posted an English-language version of the text online.
Today Latvian Saeima (parliament) adopted a statement on the sentencing of @navalny and persecution of civic society in Russia. We call for Navalny’s immediate release!
— Rihards Kols (@RihardsKols) February 4, 2021
We call on #EU and @coe to hold #Russia accountable for its disregard for rule of law and its obligations. pic.twitter.com/IULyggL0zb
