Angela Merkel Calls for Immediate Release of Alexei Navalny

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for the immediate release of Alexei Navalny, who has been sentenced to prison, as reported by RIA Novosti.

“The imprisonment of Alexei Navalny is far from the standards of a legal state. Navalny must be released immediately, and the use of force against peaceful protesters must stop,” Merkel’s words were quoted by German government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Twitter.

Calls for Navalny's release have also been made by Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, French President Emmanuel Macron, and various diplomatic entities from other European countries. A similar statement has been issued by the U.S. State Department. “The U.S. is deeply concerned about the decision to imprison Alexei Navalny and calls on the Russian authorities to release him,” stated Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, reacting to the calls from Western countries, stated that they should not interfere in the affairs of a sovereign state.

It should be noted that the Moscow Simonovsky Court has decided to replace the 3.5-year suspended sentence imposed on opposition figure Alexei Navalny in the “Iv Roshe” case with real imprisonment.