Navalny: MEPs ask EU to sanction oligarchs

The European Parliament on Thursday January 21 called on member states to sanction Russian officials involved in the arrest of opponent Alexei Navalny in Moscow and oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin.

Read also: Navalny unveils in a shocking investigation the incredible splendor of "Putin's palace"

The elected officials formulated these demands in a resolution adopted by 581 votes to 50 and 44 abstentions, and want their position to be taken into account by the EU's foreign ministers during their videoconference meeting next Monday.

The EU has called for the opponent's immediate release.

The resolution calls for sanctioning "

."

Alexeï Navalny had recommended that Europeans "

", during a videoconference interview with the European Parliament in November.

The resolution also calls for the adoption of further restrictive measures under the EU's global sanctions regime on human rights.

Elected officials are also calling for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany to be stopped.

These requests were made on Tuesday during a debate with the head of European diplomacy during the plenary session organized by videoconference from the Brussels hemicycle.

Josep Borrell had reminded elected officials that "

" and that as Nord Stream 2 is "

" .

Alexei Navalny, 44, accuses President Vladimir Putin of having ordered his assassination in August using a military nerve drug of the Novichok type, which Moscow denies.

Treated in Germany, Navalny returned to Moscow last Sunday after five months of convalescence and was arrested upon his arrival and taken into custody.

The opponent called for a demonstration against the government.

He broadcast on Tuesday an investigation into the immense and sumptuous property which he claims to benefit from President Vladimir Putin, on the shores of the Black Sea, and whose construction would have cost more than a billion euros.