Icon: enlarge
Josep Borrell Fontelles in Brussels (archive image)
Photo: JULIEN WARNAND / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock
The EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell Fontelles has sharply criticized the actions of the Russian authorities against the demonstrations for the release of the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
He regrets the numerous arrests, the disproportionate use of force and the restriction of Internet and telephone connections, said Borrell on Saturday afternoon via Twitter.
He is concerned and will discuss the EU's next steps with the foreign ministers of the EU states at a meeting in Brussels on Monday.
As early as the middle of the week, representatives of member states described new EU sanctions for the arrest of Nawalny as a realistic option.
A decision will probably only be made if Navalny is to be held in custody for a longer period.
At the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, there will only be an initial exchange of views on the subject.
During protests against the detention of Nawalny, more than 1,000 people were arrested on Saturday, according to civil rights activists.
From the city of Khabarovsk, which is seven hours ahead of the capital Moscow due to the time difference, activists published videos on Saturday of police officers beating demonstrators and putting them in prisoner trucks.
40 slightly injured security guards
Tens of thousands across the country joined the protests that Navalny had called for after his arrest on Monday.
The vast majority of people protested peacefully against the actions of the Russian authorities against Navalny, who is in a Moscow prison.
The state news agency Tass reported on Saturday that more than 40 security guards had been injured in the riots in the Russian capital Moscow.
However, these are mainly minor injuries.
Nobody was taken to the hospital.
In some cases, demonstrators had thrown snowballs at the emergency services, for example.
The state news agency Ria Novosti also reported that three police officers had been doused with white paint.
Icon: The mirror
mak / dpa
