Recent demonstrations in Russia that have taken place for the last weeks in all regions of this country are a clear protest of Russian citizens towards President Vladimir Putin and a strong signal of solidarity towards the unlawfully arrested and sanctioned Alexei Navalny, a Russian anti-corruption activist and leader of the political opposition.
Protests have quickly become a symbol of the struggle for freedom of expression, democracy and political rights as well as the lack of peoples’ approval for the corruption of the government and the president that Mr Navalny has uncover. The world cannot remain silent in this situation.
A decisive reaction from the international community, and especially from the European Union, in reaction to the illegal detention and imprisonment of Navalny and other anti-corruption activists is an urgent need. Many of you, Foreign Affairs Ministers and you, Mr High Representative has spoken quickly calling for an immediate release of Mr Navalny, thank you for doing so.
At stake is the credibility of the EU and the whole international community, both: in the eyes of its own citizens and in the perception of our partners around the world. History proves that leniency towards authoritarian power only consolidate a regime.
Meanwhile, the number of people arrested during the latest demonstrations is a record in a post-Soviet Russia. The persecution of political opponents and the attempt to poison them is already a fact. By sentencing Alexei Navalny to 3,5 years imprisonment without any legal basis and factual evidence, the Russian government disregards even more all international and legal obligations and mocks the rule of law. These are all facts for which we have hard evidence. It is now time for a strong political response.
In our opinion, the EU’s adequate response to this situation are personal sanctions for Russian oligarchs and people who enable Putin’s government to persecute political opponents and
mass arrests of protesting citizens. Clear legal criteria are needed to implement them at EU level. Such a tool is already in place and it is the Regulation concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses. The document adopted in December 2020 by the EU Council, commonly referred to as the „EU Magnitsky Act“, following the example of American solutions, aims to accelerate the EU sanctions procedure. Unfortunately, the current text of the Council Regulation lacks a very important clause on corruption as a reason for imposing sanctions. Alexei Navalny was one of many who has been appealing for such a clause being included in the Regulation. While being a speaker at the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in November 2020, he said bluntly: “If only possible, the EU should follow the money. Russian oligarchs, old and young, the circle around Putin should be in the EU’s sights when it comes to sanctions, it makes no sense to only impose sanctions on generals or lieutenants who travel little and have no real estate in the EU“.
Sanctions on Russian oligarchs – according to Navalny – would gain the support of the vast majority of Russian society and would have the expected effect – fear and a change in the behaviour of the Russian authorities.
Therefore, we, as National Parliamentarians and Members of the European Parliament, call on the EU governments and the European Commission to extend the catalogue of crimes in Art. 2 of the Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 of 7 December 2020 and to include the corruption as a sufficient reason for imposing EU sanctions. We also call, in the second step, to apply this regulation to the Russian oligarchs and associates of Vladimir Putin who have been repeatedly proven to be involved in corrupt activities. Moreover, we strongly believe that sanctions should also be applied against high-rank officials and clerks of Russian administration, especially in judiciary and power’s structures of regime who are involved in the unlawful sentence and poisoning of the political opposition leader, Alexei Navalny.
Only a bold and firm reaction of the European Union to the events taking place in Russia can contribute to the democratization of the Russian political system, stabilize European continent and support the vast majority of Russian citizens in their fight for the dignity, civil liberties and political freedoms. The democratic world cannot consent to political murders,
imprisonment of political opponents and unlawful court sentences. Silence and the lack of adequate sanctions implies such a consent. Demonstrations of many hundreds of thousands, which have been taking place for several weeks, are also the Russians‘ call for help from the democratic world.
Kind regards,
MP Kluzik-Rostkowska Joanna, the Polish Parliament
Halicki Andrzej, Member of the European Parliament
Guetta Bernard, Member of the European Parliament
Kubilius Andrius, Member of the European Parliament
Lexmann Miriam, Member of the European Parliament
Niedermayer Ludek, Member of the European Parliament
Terras Riho, Member of the European Parliament
Adamowicz Magdalena, Member of the European Parliament
Andrews Barry, Member of the European Parliament
Ansip Andrus, Member of the European Parliament
Ara-Kovacs Attila; Member of the European Parliament
Arba Kokalari, Member of the European Parliament
Arena Maria, Member of the European Parliament
Arłukowicz Bartosz, Member of the European Parliament
Bas Eickhout, Member of the European Parliament
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Brudziński Joachim, Member of the European Parliament
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Csaba Molnár, Member of the European Parliament
Dobrev Klára, Member of the European Parliament
Donath Anna, Member of the European Parliament
Falca Gheorghe, Member of the European Parliament
Bogovič Franc, Member of the European Parliament
Frankowski Tomasz, Member of the European Parliament
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