Russian envoys feel the heat over Navalny’s death

The U.K., Germany, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands have summoned the Russian ambassadors to their countries over the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison on Friday.

“The politically motivated proceedings against Alexei Navalny and numerous other critics of the Russian government, and the inhumane prison conditions, show how brutally the Russian justice system acts against dissidents, and the means by which President Putin suppresses freedom of expression in Russia,” Kathrin Deschauer, spokesperson for the German foreign ministry, said at a press conference in Berlin on Monday.

“We condemn this in the strongest possible terms and expressly call for the release of all those imprisoned in Russia for political reasons,” she said.

“The EU must take action against the political oppression in Russia,” Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said. “This is particularly important given the fact that on February 16, Alexei Navalny died in Russian captivity.”

The U.K. Foreign Office summoned the country’s Russian ambassador on Friday to “express our outrage at Mr. Navalny’s death,” Leo Docherty, Britain’s Europe minister, told the House of Commons on Monday.

“We made clear that we hold the Russian authorities fully responsible,” Docherty said. Britain will “explore all options” to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin to account, he added.

“No one should doubt the dreadful nature of the Russian system. Years of mistreatment at the hands of the state had a serious effect on Mr. Navalny’s health,” Docherty said.

“His death must be investigated fully and transparently. The Russian authorities must urgently confirm the location of Mr. Navalny’s body to his family, and allow them access to it.”

The Finnish foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Russian ambassador “to emphasize that Russia is responsible and to demand a full and transparent investigation.” The ministry also called for the release of all political prisoners in Russia.

Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said she had summoned the Russian ambassador “to demand clarification” over Navalny’s death.

“It is terrible that Alexei Navalny has paid the ultimate price for his fight for a free and democratic Russia,” she said. “We strongly urge Russia to release Navalny’s body to his family and relatives.”

European Commission President Ursula von de Leyen said earlier on Monday that “everything points to the fact that he [Navalny] was deliberately killed,” adding: “This shows the ruthlessness and perfidy of Putin, for whom no human life counts.”

Navalny, who was being held in a high security penal colony in Yamal near the Arctic Circle, collapsed on Friday while taking a walk in the facility.

Annabelle Dickson contributed reporting.