Navalny affair: France denounces a "criminal act" and calls for a "transparent investigation"

Alexei Navalny participating in a march in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow on February 29, 2020. AP Photo / Pavel Golovkin

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France denounced this Tuesday the "criminal act" perpetrated against the Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny, victim of poisoning according to Germany, and called on the Russian authorities for a "rapid and transparent investigation", indicated the Quai d'Orsay.

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"  France expresses its deep concern at this criminal act perpetrated against a major player in Russian political life  ," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, deeming "  essential that the Russian authorities initiate a rapid investigation and transparent which makes it possible to establish the circumstances in which this act was committed  ”.

Paris believes that "  those responsible for this act should be identified and brought to justice  " and reiterates its desire to provide the opponent as well as his relatives with "  support in these difficult circumstances  ".

Shortly before, the Kremlin had considered hasty the conclusions of the German doctors having concluded with the poisoning of Alexeï Navalny.

Paris and Berlin in tune

Quai d'Orsay's position is in line with that of German diplomacy. Earlier, Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russia "  to urgently resolve this affair down to the smallest detail and in full transparency  ."

Same story on the side of the European authorities, with the request of Josep Borrell, the head of the diplomacy of the EU, of an “  independent and transparent investigation  ” into what “ appears to be an attack on the life of Mr. . Navalny  ”.

The opponent remained in an artificial coma on Tuesday, in serious condition, even if his life is not in danger. Doctors at the Charité Hospital in Berlin refused to make any prognosis as to the evolution of his state of health.

(With AFP)

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