The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, in a special statement on the second anniversary of the prison sentence of Oleksiy Navalny, condemned the Russian authorities for the abuse and torture that the oppositionist is subjected to in prison.
According to Borrell, Russia is "responsible for the safety and health" of Navalny, who "from a prison cell courageously continues to oppose the suppression of freedom of speech and independent media."
The representative of the European Union also noted that "Russia's unfounded, unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine, which has been going on for the twelfth month, has only intensified internal repression and systematic persecution of the most ardent critics of the Kremlin and civil society in general."
On February 2, 2021, the Russian court sentenced Oleksiy Navalny to a real prison term instead of a conditional one in the so-called "Yves Rocher" case. Later, the oppositionist was transferred to Volodymyr colony No. 6, where he is still staying. Already in the colony, Navalny was additionally convicted in cases of fraud and contempt of court.
Recently, Navalny practically does not get out of the penal colony, where he is sent for far-fetched reasons or minor violations - for example, because he did not wash on time or did not fasten the button on his shirt according to the statute. For six months, the oppositionist spent more than 100 days in the detention center, which led to a sharp deterioration in his health.
Several other criminal cases are currently being investigated against Navalny. In particular, he is accused of terrorism and extremism. According to the set of charges, the politician may spend about 30 years in prison.