The Detention of the Russian Opposition Politician Aleksey Navalny
As delivered by Chargé d’Affaires Courtney Austrian
to the Permanent Council, Vienna
January 21, 2021
Thank you, Madam Chair.
The United States strongly condemns Russia’s decision to arrest Aleksey Navalny. Mr. Navalny should be immediately released, and the perpetrators of the outrageous attack on his life must be held accountable.
Mr. Navalny’s detention is based on a 2014 conviction determined by the European Court of Human Rights to be “arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable.” His detention follows the Kremlin’s outrageous and brazen attempt on his life and shows that the Russian government will stop at nothing to silence its opponents. The Kremlin’s attacks against Mr. Navalny and its sustained crackdown on the freedoms of all Russians are yet another sign of a regime that is lacking confidence—so paranoid that it is unwilling to tolerate any criticism or dissent.
The Kremlin’s attacks on Mr. Navalny are not just a gross violation of human rights, but an affront to the Russian people who want their voices heard. The Biden-Harris administration will move to impose costs on Mr. Navalny’s attackers and stand with all of those advocating for democracy and universal rights—whether in Russia or elsewhere around the world.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
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