German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, August 20 asked Vladimir Putin to release the opponent Alexeï Navalny, which is the first anniversary of the poisoning he attributes to the Kremlin, a call rejected by the Russian president.
Read also Navalny affair: Putin hardens his showdown with the West
"
Once again, I demanded from the Russian President the release of Alexey Navalny and I clearly said that we would continue,
" Merkel said during a joint press conference in Moscow with Vladimir Poutine. The latter replied that his main opponent was not detained "
for his political activities
", but for "
a criminal offense against foreign partners
".
Returned to Russia in January after convalescing in Germany, Alexeï Navalny was immediately arrested and then sentenced to two and a half years in prison in a fraud case that he denounces as a politician.
The Russian authorities have been working in recent months to dismantle its network before the legislative elections in September, classifying its organizations as "
extremist
", blocking websites linked to it and placing its allies and relatives on probation.
One year after the poisoning
Anti-corruption activist, Alexeï Navalny is best known for his investigations denouncing the lifestyle and embezzlement of Russian elites, including Vladimir Poutine and his entourage.
Vladimir Putin, for his part, believes, as he said on Friday, that "
the fight against corruption should not be used for political ends
", while assuring that "
the fight against corruption is very important
" and that Russia will do "
everything
" to eradicate it.
Read also Navalny affair: the ambivalent EU after the snub inflicted on Josep Borrell in Russia
Angela Merkel's visit to Russia comes a year to the day after the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, which he attributed to the Kremlin and to the Russian security services, the FSB. The opponent thanked Friday, from his prison, in a message on social networks all those who saved his life and affirmed that he would continue his fight.
