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Russia seeks arrest of EU-based Navalny aide
MOSCOW, Feb 10, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Russia on Wednesday said it was seeking
the arrest of an EU-based aide to jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny, a
day after accusing him of treason.
Leonid Volkov, who leads Navalny’s regional network of offices, lives in
Lithuania and has been a prominent voice of the opposition since other key
figures in Russia were detained during protests.
A Moscow court spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that investigators had asked
for his arrest and that he had been placed on a wanted list that extended to
several former Soviet countries, but not Lithuania.
The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes in Russia, said
previously that Volkov had been charged with using social media to encourage
youngsters to join unauthorised rallies.
In Russia, calling on people under 18 to join demonstrations can carry a
sentence of up to three years in jail.
Volkov vowed to continue working despite the warrant, which was issued a
day after Russia labelled him and another Navalny associate “traitors” for
urging the European Union to sanction individuals close to President Vladimir
Putin.
In a video call with representatives of the EU and other Western
countries, Volkov called on the bloc to impose “personal sanctions” on
Russians to force a change in Kremlin behaviour.
Navalny was handed almost three years in jail last week for violating
probation terms while he was in Germany recovering from a poisoning attack.
His detention earlier and the verdict sparked massive nationwide protests
that saw law enforcement detain 10,000 people and sparked allegations of
police abuse.
The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Tuesday he would recommend
sanctions during a meeting of EU ministers later this month.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1625 hrs