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

TA-9-2024-0118 · P9_TA(2024)0118 · PE756.914

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Parliament's resolution condemns the murder of Alexei Navalny in a Siberian penal colony and holds the Russian state and Vladimir Putin responsible. It demands an independent international investigation into his death, a dignified funeral, and the release of all political prisoners in Russia. It calls on the Council and member states to use the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against those responsible for his trials, imprisonment and death. It asks the EU to support Russian civil society and the opposition in exile, including humanitarian visas, an EU-wide multi-entry visa scheme and help to register organisations. It reiterates support for Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression and calls for a long-term EU strategy towards Russia.

Key points

  1. Parliament strongly condemns the murder of Alexei Navalny and expresses condolences to his family, associates and supporters, and support to Yulia Navalnaya and the Anti-Corruption Foundation.
  2. It pays respects to Navalny as a political leader and anti-corruption politician who empowered people and promoted civic consciousness.
  3. It calls on Russia to allow his burial according to his family's wishes and demands an independent international investigation into his death, with the EU and member states taking a leading role.
  4. It condemns Kremlin media disinformation campaigns against Navalny's legacy and that of his wife, family and collaborators.
  5. It calls on the High Representative and member states to hold the Russian leadership to account and on the Council to use the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against those responsible for Navalny's trials, sentencing, imprisonment and death.
  6. It states that the Russian Government and Vladimir Putin bear criminal and political responsibility for Navalny's death and that Putin's legitimacy can be questioned.
  7. It denounces human rights violations and the crackdown on critics, activists, journalists, historians and LGBTIQ+ communities, and calls on the UN Human Rights Council to investigate inhuman imprisonment, torture and murder of political opponents.
  8. It calls on Russia to drop arbitrary charges and release all political prisoners, naming Vladimir Kara-Murza, Yuri Dmitriev, Ilya Yashin and others, and to end torture and reform detention conditions.
  9. It calls on member states to find ways to free the worst-affected prisoners, including possible exchanges, and on the Council to create an envoy for political prisoners and hostages in Russia.
  10. It calls on Russia to release those detained for paying tribute to Navalny, to stop drafting protesters, and to repeal laws on censorship, 'foreign agents' and 'undesirable organisations'.
  11. It calls on member states to introduce EU restrictive measures against those involved in persecuting Russian civil society and to consider adding persons identified by Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation.
  12. It calls for EU support to Russian civil society and the democratic opposition, humanitarian visas, an EU-wide multi-entry visa scheme, help for dissidents to register organisations and open bank accounts, and a long-term EU strategy towards Russia.

Who is affected

  • Russian authorities, who are called on to release political prisoners, end torture, allow Navalny's burial and repeal oppressive laws.
  • EU member states, asked to sanction those responsible, support civil society, issue humanitarian visas and monitor politically motivated trials.
  • Russian political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons, whom the resolution names and calls for release.
  • Russian human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists and independent journalists at risk, for whom visas and relocation support are sought.
  • The Commission and the European External Action Service, asked to develop a long-term strategic policy towards Russia and support documentation of violations.

Figures and deadlines

  • 24 February 2024: date Navalny's family was allowed to recover his body for a medical investigation and funeral.
  • 17 January 2021: date Navalny returned to Russia and had been in detention since.
  • October 2023: three of Navalny's lawyers have been in pre-trial custody since then.
  • Over 600 people designated as political prisoners in Russia by the human rights group Memorial.
  • 17 March 2024: date of Russian elections that Parliament commits to addressing.