Council and Commission statements and debate on the murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia, resolution voted on Thursday

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Russia (T)

respect for human rights in the world (T)

HAUTALA, Heidi (Greens/EFA, FI)

PICULA, Tonino (S&D, HR)

JUKNEVIČIENĖ, Rasa (EPP, LT)

AZMANI, Malik (Renew, NL)

SIMSON, Kadri (EE, EC)

NAVALNY, Alexei (RU)

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2021 (T)

MICHEL, Mathieu (BE)

The murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Mathieu MICHEL, Belgian Secretary of State for Digitalisation, in charge of Administrative Simplification, Privacy and the Belgian Buildings Agency Alexei Navalny gave hopes to democracy and civil society in Russia, which is why so many people from all over the country join his actions and listen to his messages of another Russia. We will honor his memory as a freedom fighter.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mathieu MICHEL, Belgian Secretary of State for Digitalisation, in charge of Administrative Simplification, Privacy and the Belgian Buildings Agency The EU will spare no effort to hold wishers, political leadership and authorities to account in close coordination with our partners, including through further sanctions. EU supports NGOs, civil society organizations, human rights defenders and independent journalists inside and outside Russia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Navalny's death is yet another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression in Russia. Our answer will be our continued and substantial support to Russian civil society, human rights defenders and independent media inside and outside Russia, and to hold those responsible of Navalny's death to account.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (EPP, LT), The murder of Navalny should not frighten us, but mobilize us in a common struggle for freedom. Our freedom is also threatened. The most important thing today is not to be afraid, just as the Ukrainians are not afraid. Just as Navalny was not afraid. Not to be afraid of fully defeating Putin.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Democratic Russia is unfortunately very far from reality. This House has always supported Russian democratic activists, independent civil society and all courageous citizens opposing the brutal dictatorship of Putin. Unfortunately, for now, it seems that the struggle will take more time than expected anyway. We need to keep Kremlin under pressure and hold dictatorship accountable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI), Yesterday, our 2009 Saharatv laureate, Oleg Orlov from Memorial was convicted on repeated discreditation of the Russian army. He defended himself alone because he did not want to risk that his lawyers would face persecution and prison. And all that said in his final statement in court: I regret nothing. We must show our utmost respect for him and other people persecuted. But we must also find ways, as the European Union, to defend lawyers and their important work. Many of them are now in exile. It is the ultimate eradication, even of the remainders of rule of law and judiciary, if lawyers cannot even do their work.

SOUNDBITE (English), Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), Putin is a coward. He fears freedom and people will fight for it. He fears heroes like Navalny. Julianna Nalvanaya will continue that fight. And of course, we stand by her side that we need to continue to help Ukraine and make sure Putin does not succeed. We need to keep harboring political refugees, and we need to honor Navalny like we did Magnitsky by seizing Russian resumes assets and put all the actors responsible for his killing on the Magnitsky Act.