Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A European statement distributed in Brussels said that on August 20, we commemorate the fourth anniversary of the attempted assassination of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny in Russia using a toxic nerve agent from the "Novichok" group, banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia is a party. The statement issued by the EU foreign policy coordinator’s office added: “The assassination attempt, followed by Alexei Navalny’s return to Russia, accelerated a spiral of politically motivated measures against him, leading to his premature and yet to be fully investigated and clarified death in a strict regime penal colony in February this year.

Ultimate responsibility for Alexei Navalny’s death lies with President Putin and the Russian authorities who imprisoned him on politically motivated charges and led a sustained campaign of intimidation and ill-treatment against him while he was behind bars.

The EU, together with its partners, will continue to reiterate its call on Russia to investigate the attempted assassination of Alexei Navalny in full transparency and without further delay, and to cooperate fully with the OPCW to ensure an impartial international investigation. The tragic death of Alexei Navalny does not absolve the Russian Federation from its obligation to provide answers to the questions raised under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Sanctions have been imposed since 2020 on individuals and entities responsible for the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and his arbitrary detention, trial and sentencing. On 22 March this year, the Council imposed restrictive measures against 33 individuals and two entities linked to the death of Alexei Navalny.

Furthermore, immediately after his death in May, the Council adopted a new EU framework for restrictive measures against those responsible for gross human rights violations or abuses, the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and the undermining of democracy and the rule of law in Russia, along with a first set of 20 lists.

We will spare no effort to hold the Russian political leadership and authorities accountable for the treatment of Alexei Navalny and other political prisoners.