George Clooney (left) and Alexei Navalny.Photo: Dave Benett/Getty; Oleg Nikishin/Epsilon/Getty
GeorgeandAmal Clooneyare speaking out about the imprisonment of Alexei Navalny, the most prominent critic of Russia’s autocratic president,Vladimir Putin.
After arriving in Russia, Navalny was soon taken into custody, as he had expected. His detentiontouched off extensive protests.
In a statement on Wednesday on behalf of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, the Clooneys said their organization’s TrialWatch arm “will be monitoring the upcoming trials of Aleksey Navalny.”
“Mr. Navalny is currently imprisoned on the basis of a conviction that the European Court of Human Rights determined was ‘arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable’ and for which Russia was required to pay Mr. Navalny compensation,” George, 59, and Amal, 43, said.
They added: “We also note that Navalny was poisoned and nearly died, with evidence pointing directly to the Putin regime. This crime must be independently investigated and those involved must be brought to justice as soon as possible.”
Navalny has accused Putin’s government of his poisoning last August, widely seen as an attempted assassination.
Accordingto the Associated Press, Russian officials said Navalny was taken into custody in January after arriving from Germany for violating the terms of his probation from a 2014 conviction.
His defense said his poisoning and subsequent recuperation in Europe prevented him from being able to comply.
The opposition leader, long one of Putin’s most prominent detractors and a leader of the country’s anti-corruption movement, has faced fraud and libel charges andwas convictedin a money laundering case in 2014 — all of which,he says, werepolitically motivated.
Alexei Navalny (center).KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty
Vladimir Putin.ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty
The Clooneys' statement reflects the international attention turned on Russia as it prosecutes Navalny.
The activist and politician, who was barred from running against Putin in Russia’s most recent election, has millions of followers across social media, where he has posted videos in recent years with information he says reveals the corruption behind the Russian government under Putin.
On Tuesday, Navalny wasreportedly sentencedto two-and-a-half years over the alleged probation violation.
“This is how it works: They send one to jail to intimidate millions,” Navalny said in court,accordingto the BBC. Navalny added that Putin “will go down in history as a poisoner.”
Alexei Navalny.DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty
“The aim of that hearing,” he said, “is to scare a great number of people. You can’t jail the entire country.”
More than 1,400 people were detained in Russia on Tuesday amid the ongoing protests against Navalny’s imprisonment, according to the BBC.
PresidentJoe Bidenand other world leaders have spoken out about the case as well, with some observers urging even more pressure on Navalny’s behalf.
Late last month, the White HousesaidBiden, 78, had “raised concern” on a call with Putin about Navalny’s treatment.
source: people.com
