Russian opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny is awarded the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Mr Volkov is one of Mr Navalny’s political advisers and served as his chief of staff during Mr Navalny’s 2018 presidential election campaign.

statement

Strasbourg

HAUTALA, Heidi (Greens/EFA, FI)

seminar

KUBILIUS, Andrius (EPP, LT)

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2021 (T)

VOLKOV, Leonid

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2021 - Statement by Leonid Volkov, Chief of Staff of Alexei Navalny and extracts from the Press Seminar

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, For our movement, we are, of course, very honored that our, likely said, 'anti-corruption work' has been designated for this Sakharov prize. Alexey is not alone, he represents and he founded a large political movement which has become like the strongest opposition force in Russia, and we consider this award to be like a recognition of the anti-corruption work that we've done during the past 10 years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, It is important for Russians to feel that we are not alone, that what we do also resonates in Europe, that Europe supports us. It's very important, like the the Sakharov Prize is awarded by European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, It's our opportunity to use this week and to use this Prize to spread our message, to promote our cause, to talk about Alexei, what he achieved and what what he is going to achieve. This is also very important because this Sakharov Prize is not like a memorial. It's not to commemorate past achievement, but it is through support an ongoing fight that we are fighting like right now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, He is in prison. He is serving an unlawful and illegal prison sentence for almost a year now. A sentence that has been reversed by the European Court of Human Rights, right here in this city of Strasbourg. And the verdicts of European Court of Human Rights are actually part of Russian legal system. President Putin, for some reason, doesn't want to recognize this very particular judgment.

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, More trials are to come soon. There are new charges pressed against Alexei, six new charges to be precise, and these criminal cases will be considered soon and there is no doubt it's actually a matter of fact that he will be sentenced to new and more prison terms.

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, I can say is that being able to be in touch with him through his lawyer, I can reassure that his moral, his spirit remain high and we are able to be in touch, we exchange our ideas, and he participates actively in the work of our movement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Leonid VOLKOV, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, Our main message is that the fight against corruption in Russia is a fight that has to be fought globally. Putin's friends and Putin himself do steal from Russian taxpayers, not in order to like get showers of golden coins. They stash their assets here in Europe and the fight against corruption could be warm here in Europe, using existing legal tools, using sanctions, using law enforcement. And this will help both Europeans and people back here in Russia.

Cutaways - extracts from the Press Seminar (14 shots)