Swiss call for release of Russian opposition leader Navalny

Navalny (right) and his lawyer in a Moscow court on Tuesday. Moscow City Court

Switzerland has joined international protests following a three-and-a-half year prison sentence for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny by a court in Russia on Tuesday.

“We call on Russia to uphold its international obligations and principles of the rule of law. Alexei Navalny should be released immediately,” said a foreign ministry statement published on Twitter.

Switzerland is deeply concerned about today‘s conviction of Alexey @navalnyExternal link. We call on Russia to uphold its international obligations and the principles of the rule of law. Alexey Navalny should be released immediately.

— Swiss MFA (@SwissMFA) February 2, 2021External link

A Moscow court ruled that Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critics, had violated the terms of his parole.

He was arrested last month after returning to Russia from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

Switzerland has previously expressed concern about Navalny’s arrest. It also called for an inquiry into his poisoning.

Following Tuesday’s verdict, Russian police arrested more than 900 people who protested in favour of Navalny, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests.