What changed

B90150/2024

B90154/2024

European Parliament resolution on the murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia,Alexei Navalny, in particular thoseof concerning17 September 2020 on the situation in Russia: the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, of 21 January 2021 on the arrest of Alexei Navalny, of 16 February 2023 on the recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexei Navalny and theother humanpolitical rightsprisoners situationin Russia, and of 20 April 2023 on repression in Russia, in particular the country,cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny,

– having regard to the statement by itsthe ConferenceHigh Representative of Presidentsthe Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on behalf of 21the EU of 19 February 2024 on the death of Alexei Navalny,

– having regard to the joint statement by the Commission President and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 16 February 2024 on the death of Alexei Navalny,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

– having regard to the statement by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 February 2024 on behalf of the European Union on the death of Alexei Navalny,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

– having regard to the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, of 22 February 2024,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights,

– having regard to the opinion piece co-signed by the Chairs of the European Parliament’s PPE, S&D, Renew and Left Groups entitled ‘Let’s work to ensure that the end of the East-West confrontation is the beginning of a new era of democracy and prosperity’, published in Le Monde on 4 April 2022,

– having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian opposition figurethe anddeath theof 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate, waslaureate killedAlexei inNavalny awas Siberianreported penalby colony,Russian reportedlyauthorities on 16 February 2024,2024; whilewhereas servingthe anRussian unjustauthorities prisonhave sentence;not whereasyet provided information about the killingexact causes and circumstances of Alexeihis Navalnydeath, isand yethis anotherfamily signwas ofonly theallowed increasingto recover his body for a medical investigation and systematicfuneral repressionon in24 Russia;February 2024;

B. whereas through his work, Alexei Navalny exposed the illegalities and corruption at the heart of the Putin regime;

B. whereas Alexei Navalny had been in detention since 17 January 2021 when he returned to Russia following medical rehabilitation as a result of an attempted state-sponsored assassination through the use of the internationally banned nerve agent Novichok; whereas he had previously been detained and arrested many times and sentenced on fabricated and politically-motivated grounds to disproportionately long prison sentences, in evident attempts to stop his political activities and anti-corruption campaigns; whereas he had reportedly been subjected to psychological pressure, arbitrary punishment, severe ill-treatment and torture during his imprisonment in several ill-famed prisons and penal colonies;

C. whereas in August 2020, Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent by the Kremlin regime; whereas he had been held in detention since 17 January 2021, following his brave return to Russia;

C. whereas since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian regime has substantially increased its repression against the population, including against members of the political opposition and active civil society, not the least by criminalising any expression of dissent about the war;

D. whereas from the moment of his arrest, Navalny endured a series of human rights violations, including ill treatment, torture, arbitrary punishment and psychological pressure, which highlights the systematic challenges faced by those opposing the Russian regime;

1. Expresses its shock at the news of 16 February 2024 concerning the death of Alexei Navalny in a remote Siberian prison colony above the Arctic Circle; considers that, regardless of the direct cause of death, the incessant persecution and inhuman treatment of Alexei Navalny by the Russian authorities are ultimately responsible for his premature death;

E. whereas Alexei Navalny’s health deteriorated due to mistreatment and a lack of proper medical care;

2. Expresses its deepest condolences to Alexei Navalny’s wife, Yulia, as well as their children, family, friends, close collaborators and countless supporters across Russia;

F. whereas Navalny’s unwavering dedication to the fight against corruption and for a more democratic Russia persisted even under inhumane prison conditions, illustrating his commitment to the principles of democracy and justice;

3. Pays its respects to Alexei Navalny as a political leader and prominent anti-corruption campaigner who, thanks to his bravery, charisma and capacity to forge alliances, achieved what others had tried but few had managed to achieve, namely empowering people by making them aware of and believe in their ability to improve life, change society and influence politics;

G. whereas Navalny’s lawyers are being harassed and three of them have been in pre-trial custody since October 2023;

4. Recalls his contributions to developing civic consciousness through genuine public debates, political campaigns, street protests and innovative communication, which led to him being viewed by many as representing a vision of another Russia where power would not be held captive by a kleptocratic regime protected by subservient law enforcement agents, but would be held by and serve the people;

H. whereas the EU has repeatedly condemned his poisoning and all politically motivated rulings against him for his legitimate political and anti-corruption activities and called for his immediate and unconditional release;

5. Demands an independent and international investigation into the exact circumstances of Alexei Navalny’s death and those responsible, in order to uncover the truth, ensure accountability and establish justice;

I. whereas Russian citizens have been paying tribute to Alexei Navalny across the country and in the diaspora; whereas hundreds have been detained across Russia at rallies commemorating Navalny and there are reports that several of the men arrested were issued military summonses; whereas the EU Ambassador to Russia, Roland Galharague, and many of his counterparts from the Member States, the UK and the US were among those who honoured Alexei Navalny’s memory at the Solovetsky Stone in Moscow;

6. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Russia, including those detained for their association with Alexei Navalny and his organisation, such as his lawyers, or for their opposition to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin, among many others;

J. whereas since the re-launch of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian authorities have increased their repression of political opposition, the media and civil society;

7. Denounces the arbitrary, decade-long prison sentences and inhumane prison conditions in Russia, as exemplified by the case of Alexei Navalny who had been subjected to deliberate ill-treatment and arbitrary punishments that led to a serious deterioration in his health even before 16 February 2024;

K. whereas anti-war candidates have been prevented from standing in the forthcoming 2024 presidential elections in Russia;

8. Urges the Russian authorities to immediately end the use of torture and other ill-treatment or arbitrary disciplinary measures against all detainees and to urgently reform the prison conditions in compliance with Russia’s obligations under international human rights law;

L. whereas Vladimir Putin, against whom the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in March 2023 in connection with the illegal deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children, is seeking to be ‘re-elected’ as President of the Russian Federation;

9. Calls on the Russian authorities to repeal their oppressive legislation in contradiction with the Russian constitution and the country’s international commitments, such as the laws on censoring truthful information about Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and on ‘foreign agents’ and ‘undesirable organisations’;

M. whereas independent war reporting and protests against the war are banned and criminalised by law in Russia; whereas according to Amnesty International, more than 21 000 anti-war activists were subjected to serious reprisals in Russia in 2022;

10. Calls on the Council to adopt sanctions against those involved in and responsible for the politically-motivated trials against Alexei Navalny and his sentencing, imprisonment and detention conditions, including the prosecutors and judges, prison staff and those responsible for his premature death; calls on the Council, furthermore, to substantially increase the number of Russian regime representatives being targeted by individual sanctions and calls for consideration to be given to adding further persons identified by Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) as so-called regime enablers contributing to waging and financing the war of aggression against Ukraine and to domestic repression in support of the regime’s survival;

N. whereas dozens of journalists have recently been arrested in Russia for covering demonstrations by the wives, mothers, sisters and children of Russian men mobilised to fight against Ukraine;

11. Expresses its solidarity with the Russian citizens who, despite the totalitarian repression and the severe personal consequences, still find the courage to speak the truth, uphold human values and show the world that another Russia exists;

O. whereas there are clear signs that a significant part of the Russian population does not support new efforts to conscript more Russian men to fight against Ukraine and that they want the Putin regime to stop the war; whereas the people of Russia cannot be confused with the warmongering, autocratic and kleptocratic Kremlin regime;

12. Welcomes the reports about Russian citizens paying tribute to Alexei Navalny in cities and towns all over Russia and urges the Russian authorities to immediately release all those who have shown their humanity and solidarity with a victim of state repression; expresses its hope that similar actions will continue and show the world that the Russian people do not support a criminal regime that wages an illegal and brutal war of aggression against neighbouring Ukraine, suppresses the Russian population and effectively destroys the prospects for a safe and prosperous future for the Russian people;

P. whereas the human rights group Memorial has designated over 600 people as political prisoners in Russia;

13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the Russian authorities.

Q. whereas the Putin regime’s severe curtailment of human rights in Russia is in clear contravention of the nation’s own constitution and legal framework, as well as a violation of Russia’s international obligations;

1. Expresses its strongest and most solemn condemnation of the murder of Alexei Navalny and underlines that the full responsibility for this political murder rests with the Russian state and its president Vladimir Putin;

2. Conveys its sincere condolences to Yulia Navalnaya, their children and the entirety of their family, while standing in solidarity with them and with all the other brave Russians who, despite widespread repression and severe personal consequences, continue to find the courage to speak the truth, to oppose Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to uphold human values;

3. Pays solemn tribute to the life, anti-corruption and pro-democratic work and lasting legacy of Alexei Navalny, all of which serve as a powerful testimony to the fight against the oppressive Putin regime;

4. Urges the Russian authorities to allow Alexei Navalny’s family to organise a decent funeral, according to their wishes;

5. Demands an immediate, thorough, international and independent investigation into the precise circumstances surrounding the death of Alexei Navalny; emphasises the imperative need for accountability and justice; calls for the EU and its Member States to assume a leading role in coordinating and actively supporting this investigation;

6. Deplores and condemns the disinformation campaigns orchestrated by the Kremlin-controlled media that have sought to smear Alexei Navalny’s legacy and dignity both prior to and following his death, as well as that of his wife, family and close collaborators;

7. Expresses its support for the Russian citizens who have been paying tribute to Alexei Navalny and stands in solidarity with independent Russian civil society and the democratic opposition; calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Russia;

8. Urges the Council to adopt further tough sanctions, including under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act), against all those involved in Navalny’s persecution and death, including political decision makers, intelligence officers, investigators, prosecutors, judges, prison directors and other high-level prison officials;

9. Urges the Council to adopt restrictive measures against those responsible for the arbitrary arrest and detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, Alexei Gorinov, Yuri Dmitriev, Alexandra Skochilenko, Mikhail Afanasiev, Ivan Safronov and others prosecuted for their association with Alexei Navalny or for their opposition to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as of journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva;

10. Denounces the escalation of human rights violations by the Russian regime and condemns the ongoing crackdown on government critics, human rights defenders, anti-war activists, independent journalists and LGBTIQ activists; calls on the UN Human Rights Council to conduct an immediate investigation into the acts of inhuman imprisonment, torture and murder of political opponents;

11. Underlines that the killing of Alexei Navalny serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the Putin regime’s repressive policies and to take a decisive stand against such actions;

12. Calls for the EU and its Member States to continue to show their unfailing solidarity with and to actively support independent Russian civil society and the democratic opposition, who are working to transform Russia into an open society where political rights, fundamental freedoms and human rights are respected, thereby fulfilling the aspirations of the Russian people to live in a free democratic open society and honouring the enduring legacy of Alexei Navalny;

13. Urges the EU and its Member States to enhance the EU’s strategic communication and capacity to address and prevent, in a timely manner, the spread of the ideology and propaganda of the Putin regime and its supporters; insists on the creation of new and support to existing Russian-language media channels to this end;

14. Reiterates its call for the diplomatic representations of the EU and its Member States to continue to closely monitor court proceedings against members of the Russian political opposition and their prison conditions; urges the Member States to provide humanitarian visas and other support to Russian dissidents at risk of political prosecution;

15. Underlines that, in the context of the increasingly repressive measures against political opponents and Russia’s intention to conduct presidential elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine from 15 to 17 March 2024, these elections cannot be considered to meet the basic international electoral standards and that it therefore will not recognise the results of these illegal, manipulated, unfair and non-competitive elections;

16. Calls for the EU, its Member States and like-minded global partners to increase their political, economic and military support to Ukraine; welcomes the recent 13th package of sanctions adopted by the Council and calls for further measures to deter Russian aggression, such as the expansion of the EU sanctions lists, including the Magnitsky sanctions list, taking into account the 6 000 individuals named by Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation; calls for the Russian Central Bank’s frozen assets to be confiscated and channelled into the Ukraine Facility;

17. Calls for the EU and its Member States to further support the documentation of human rights violations in the Russian Federation, to support turning the examination by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights of the human rights situation in the Russian Federation into a fully independent investigative mechanism, to uphold the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation and to further accountability through extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction;

18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Russian authorities, and to make it available in the Russian language.