The Biden administration is “deeply concerned” by a Russian court’s decision Tuesday to sentence opposition leader Alexei Navalny to 32 months in prison, officials said, reiterating his demand that Moscow immediately release Navalny and other detainees to protest his arrest.
“Like all Russian citizens, Mr. Navalny is entitled to the rights enshrined in the Russian constitution and Russia has international obligations to respect equality before the law and the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” the secretary said. of State Anthony Blink
Antony BlinkenBiden’s administrator “deeply concerned” by Navalny’s court ruling Navalny sentenced to 2.5 years in prison The Senate confirms Buttigieg as transport secretary he said in a statement.
“While we work with Russia to advance the interests of the United States, we will coordinate closely with our allies and partners to hold Russia accountable for not defending the rights of its citizens,” Blinken added.
A Moscow court earlier ruled on Tuesday that Navalny should serve his sentence for violating the 2014 parole conditions. Russian prosecutors argued that he violated the conditions of his freedom by failing to register while recovering from parole. ‘an attack by nervous agents in Germany last year. The United States and other nations have blamed the Russian Federal Security Service for Navalny poisoning; Russia has denied its involvement.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiWhite House says Biden will continue to work in space force for immigration orders: “I’m eliminating bad politics” Biden offers condolences to families of FBI agents killed in Florida MORE He reiterated Blinken’s statement during a briefing on Tuesday afternoon, saying the White House is “deeply concerned” by the decision to sentence Navalny and called on the Russian government to release Navalny and other Russians who have been unjustly detained. He did not specify what action the US would take in response.
President Biden has ordered a thorough review of the intelligence of Russian aggression, including Moscow’s involvement in Navalny poisoning, as well as SolarWinds piracy, electoral interference, and reports of Russian rewards on northern forces. -Americans in Afghanistan.
“This is an ongoing review by the national security team. When they conclude, they will launch … a political process to determine what steps we will take from here,” Psaki said.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday afternoon that officials are working on the comprehensive review “very quickly” and that they would not rule out taking action in response to Russia’s treatment of Navalny before the end of the entire review. The review is led by the Director of National Intelligence April Haines
April HainesGrenell congratulates Buttigieg for becoming Biden’s second administrator, openly gay, “deeply concerned” by Navalny’s Russian Senate court ruling confirming Buttigieg as transport secretary.
“The president has ordered his ID to carry out this review precisely so that we can have a holistic picture of what the Russians have been doing in recent years so that we can guarantee our political options, which would include sanctions, but not necessarily the extent of this. , are properly calibrated, ”Price told reporters.
Navalny received a 3.5-year sentence suspended in 2014 for extortion. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Navalny’s conviction in 2014 had political motivation. Last month he was arrested in Russia, prompting widespread protests across the country.
The Biden administration has indicated that it plans to take a firm approach to tackling Russian aggression, while also trying to work with Moscow on issues of mutual interest, including agreeing on a five-year extension of the new START nuclear weapons treaty. with Moscow expiring this month. Biden spoke with Putin last week and urged him on Moscow’s treatment of Navalny, as well as other areas of concern.