Alexei Navalny stands inside a glass cage prior to a hearing in a Moscow court in February
Keystone / Yuri Kochetkov
Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny has been honoured by 25 NGOs in Geneva for his courage. He is currently imprisoned in Russia and has been on a hunger strike for three weeks.
Navalny, a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was chosen for his “extraordinary courage and heroic efforts to alert people to the serious human rights violations by Putin’s regime in Russia”, UN Watch director Hillel Neuer said in a statement on Monday.
Leonid Volkov, the opposition’s chief strategist, welcomed the news. “It is very important that Alexei Navalny’s moral courage be recognised internationally as he goes through one of the most difficult tests of his life,” he said. Volkov said Navalny had been put in prison for “daring to survive a poison attack that almost killed him”.
The award will be received on Navalny’s behalf by his daughter, Daria Navalnaya, at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on June 8. The summit will host dissidents, activists, victims and former political prisoners from China, Cuba, Iran, Turkey, Belarus and Zimbabwe. They will testify about the human rights situation in their countries.
Hunger strike
Navalny, who the West says has been wrongly jailed and should be freed, returned to Russia in January after recovering from what German doctors say was a nerve agent poisoning.
More
More
Swiss call for release of Russian opposition leader Navalny
This content was published on
Switzerland has joined international protests about following a prison sentence for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
In February he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison by a Moscow court for charges of parole violations that he called politically motivated. Russia has said it has yet to see evidence he was poisoned.
He stopped eating on March 31 to protest against the conditions of his detention in Russia. He accuses the prison administration of denying him access to a doctor even though he has a double herniated disc, according to his lawyers.
Staff at the Russian prison say they have offered Navalny proper treatment but that he refused it.
More
More
Switzerland ‘first choice for corrupt Russians’
This content was published on
Speaking to swissinfo.ch shortly before the Panama Papers leaks, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny says one cannot ignore Switzerland’s interest in “dirty money”.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Extra month of Swiss pension can be paid out from end of 2026
This content was published on
The 13th monthly pension payment can be paid out from December 2026. However, it has not yet been decided how it will be financed.
Addictions cause billions in damage in Switzerland
This content was published on
The alcohol, tobacco and gambling industries generate billions in revenue. At the same time, they cost the economy billions, according to Addiction Switzerland.
Swiss parliament moves closer to partial ban of tobacco ads
This content was published on
Tobacco advertising should be partially banned in the print media. On Monday the House of Representatives gave the go-ahead for restrictions on advertising, with some relaxations.
Online platforms and UBS in sights of Swiss price watchdog
This content was published on
With over 800 cases processed, including just under 400 recommendations, 2024 once again ended with a record number of cases for the Swiss price watchdog.
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
Switzerland ‘deeply concerned’ by Trump’s death penalty order
This content was published on
Switzerland has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is "deeply concerned" by US President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen capital punishment at federal and state level.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Freedom of expression: universal, but not absolute
This content was published on
Under threat in many countries and pushed to its limits elsewhere, freedom of expression as we know it is at a critical crossroads.
This content was published on
Switzerland’s foreign ministry has urged Russia to conduct or cooperate with an investigation into the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.