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Sunday, 22 December
society

PACE invites Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to ‘use all tools at its disposal’ to free Alexei Navalny

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release opposition politician Alexei Navalny before June 7, 2021, according to a statement published on the PACE website,

PACE has invited the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to “use all the tools at its disposal”, including under Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to ensure full and prompt execution of the Strasbourg Court’s ruling in the case of Navalnyye v. Russia, and in particular the immediate release of Mr. Navalny,” the statement reads.

Approving a resolution and recommendation after an urgent debate today based on a report by Jacques Maire (France, ALDE), the Assembly also called on the Russian Federation to release Mr. Navalny immediately and in any event before the next “human rights” meeting of the Council's ministerial body in June 2021. The resolution was supported by 105 people, 26 voted against and 11 abstained.

The Assembly also called on Russia “pending his release, to provide Mr Navalny with all necessary medical care, including examination and treatment by a doctor of his choice”. It also invited the Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee (CPT) to conduct a monitoring visit to the detention facility where Mr. Navalny is being held.

Finally, PACE called on the Russian delegation to the Assembly to “co-operate fully” with its rapporteur on this topic and "resolved to closely follow Mr. Navalny’s situation”.