The White House is calling for the release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny after a breakdown in peaceful protests over the weekend – and President Joe Biden said Monday he is ‘deeply concerned’ about Russian behavior.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called for the immediate release of Navalny, who has returned to his home country and is being held for 30 days after being poisoned. with zero chemical agent.
‘These ongoing efforts to abolish Russia’s rights to protest peacefully and collectively, their freedom of expression, the arrest of the opponent Alexei Navalny and the ensuing scandal surrounding protests are sad signals about other restrictions on Russian civil society, ‘Psaki said, responding A State Department statement was issued on Saturday.
‘So I just reiterate our call from here on the Russian authorities to release all those arrested for their universal rights and for the immediate release of Alexei Navalny and unconditionally, ‘she said.
It came after a weekend where his wife Yulia Navalnaya arrested them in Moscow after they were part of a rally against Putin on Saturday.
Alexei’s wife was among nearly 3,500 people arrested by Russian police officers during protests in as many as 100 cities.
After being arrested by officers of Yulia, 44, they posted a selfie on her Instagram page with the caption: ‘Apologies for poor quality. Very bad light in the police van. ‘
According to reports from Russian media outlets, Yulia has now been released from police arrest in Moscow.
It comes after Putin supporters criticized Alexei Navalny for continuing to fight with police deep into the night when world leaders criticized “brutal tactics”. officers who left a large crowd of blood and wounded protesters.
Intervention: Joe Biden said he was unwilling to raise issues with Russia including retaining a leader against Alexei Navalny
Alexei Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, 44, (pictured) was detained at an anti-government demonstration in Moscow while large anti-Kremlin demonstrations broke out across Russia on Saturday in support of Putin- critic who was arrested. She posted a photo to Instagram from inside the police van in which she was admitted after her arrest. Russian media outlets report that she has now been released by police
Riot police hold detained participant in unlicensed rally in support of Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny with Moscow Circus
Russian police detain men in unauthorized protest rally against prison chief Alexei Navalny
Hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters took part in demonstrations across 70 cities on Saturday in a protest demonstration against Navalny prison, which was poisoned by a zero agent it says was slipped to him by state security representatives in August.
Demonstrators were dragged by riot officers to police buses and seizure trucks, while some protesters were hit by a police baton.
Biden also spoke of the seriousness of the situation when asked about it by reporters on Monday, and said that tightening with Moscow did not keep the US from looking after their own interests as seeks extension of the new declining START agreement limiting strategic nuclear weapons.
‘I find that we can both work for the self-interest of our countries as a new START agreement and make it clear to Russia that we are very concerned about their behavior – whether Navalny it is, regardless of whether it is the Solar Winds [government hack] or reports of bounties on American heads in Afghanistan, ‘he said.
‘I have asked the groups in reading to give me a detailed reading of each of these issues, to update me in detail where they are, and I will not delay on these issues. built by the Russians. ‘
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced on Monday that Russia’s opposition leader Alexei Navalny would be released ‘immediately’,
He did not mention Russia’s intervention in the US elections, a topic raised by Psaki hours earlier.
Psaki said it expected new patterns from the Trump administration, and pointed to an intelligence review of what the U.S. considers a series of malignant activities with Russia.
‘The president reserves the right to respond in the time and manner he has chosen and I am not going to take options off the table from here,’ she said.
‘We also urge Russia to cooperate fully with the international community’s investigation into the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and to explain the use of chemical weapons on its soil,’ said Psaki, reading from a prepared statement. from the White House information room podium.
She said Biden had sought a ‘full assessment’ of Russia’s activities, including the massive cyber breach, ‘Russia’s inclusion in the 2020 election, the use of chemical weapons against Alexei Navanly and the alleged claims about U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Vladimir Putin has been forced to deny possession of a mega-palace on the Black Sea coast after Alexei Navalny was accused of building it with money deposited from a state of Russia
Navalny dropped a lengthy survey on his return to Russia which was full of details of the palace (pictured) including floor plans and interior details.
She once said it was a 100-day review, then said there was no timeline for it.
Putin has denied Navlany’s claim that he has an unwilling palace in the Black Sea.
‘Nothing listed there is the property of me or my close relatives, and it never did,’ Putin said during a video call with students on Monday.
The 44-year-old anti-corruption activist had been in Germany recovering from what western governments said in an assassination attempt using Novichok, a Soviet-era zero-agent.
Navalny accuses Putin of ordering his death at the hands of the FSB strike team. A Russian has denied the allegations.