The European Union has summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires in Brussels, Kirill Logvinov, to express its “outrage” over the death in custody of Alexei Navalny. The EU diplomatic service said on Tuesday, February 20, that “responsibility” for the death of the Russian opponent in prison “ultimately rests with President Putin and the Russian authorities.” The European External Action Service Director General in charge of Russia, Michael Siebert, “called on Russia to authorize an independent and transparent international investigation” into the death of the opponent and “called on Russia to hand over the body of the deceased to his family without further notice.” Delay to contact them and give them the opportunity to organize a funeral.
On the occasion of this summons, the EU diplomat also reiterated “that Russia must immediately and unconditionally release all other political prisoners and all those arrested across Russia, paying tribute to Alexei Navalny.” Follow our live stream.
Washington will announce new sanctions against Moscow. The United States is preparing to adopt a package of “major sanctions” against Russia following the death in prison of Russian foe Alexei Navalny, the White House said. “At the initiative of the President [Joe] Biden, we will announce a series of comprehensive sanctions on Friday to hold Russia accountable for what happened to the adversary, said John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
France calls for “an independent and thorough investigation”. According to a Foreign Ministry press release, Paris holds Russian authorities “fully responsible” for the disappearance of this political figure in custody. The Quai d'Orsay emphasizes that “the conditions of detention…” [de l’homme politique] Since his transfer to a penal colony, his condition had deteriorated significantly.
Alexei Navalny’s widow “doesn’t care” about the Kremlin’s statements. “I don’t care how the killer’s spokesman comments on my words,” wrote Yulia Navalnaïa on the social network, saying goodbye to him.
The opponent's mother asks Vladimir Putin to hand over her son's body. Lyudmila Navalnaïa called on the Russian president to hand over Alexei Navalny's remains “immediately” in a video filmed near the penal colony where he was held.