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Sharp criticism from the German government of the arrest of the Russian oppositionist Alexej Navalny: Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) demands the immediate release of the critic of the regime.
"The Russian authorities arrested the victim of a murder attack with chemical weapons and not the perpetrators," said government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Monday in Berlin.
“The German government therefore urges the Russian government to first release Mr. Navalny immediately;
and secondly, to fully clarify the circumstances of the chemical weapons attack on Russian soil. ”Russia has everything necessary for this.
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One day after the arrest in Moscow, the Russian public prosecutor's office filed for arrest, according to a confidante of Navalny.
The investigators had applied for a 30-day detention at the court, wrote Ivan Zhdanov on Monday on Twitter.
A hearing had started that morning.
Navalny had the video posted on Twitter
According to his supporters, Navalny has no legal support and his lawyers are supposedly not allowed to see him.
The police prevented this, said Nawalny's anti-corruption foundation on Twitter on Monday.
According to information from Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmytsch, two advisers were allowed to enter the building of the Khimki police station on the outskirts of Moscow;
"But they are not allowed to see Alexej".
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Navalny himself commented on the circumstances surrounding his arrest in a video posted on Twitter.
In it he called the action against him the "peak of lawlessness".
Navalny had flown from Berlin to Moscow on Sunday.
Shortly after his arrival, the Russian opposition activist was arrested at Sheremetyevo airport.
The Russian penitentiary authority, FSIN, accuses Navalny of repeatedly violating the conditions of a five-year suspended sentence.
The government opponent should therefore remain in prison until a decision is made by a court.
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Russia's actions have sparked international outrage.
Before Merkel, Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) called for the “immediate” release of the 44-year-old on Monday.
"It is completely incomprehensible that he was arrested by the Russian authorities immediately upon arrival," said Maas in Berlin.
Navalny was the victim of a serious poison attack on Russian soil.
“We continue to expect that Russia will do everything it can to fully investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Maas continued.
Russia rejects any criticism
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected any criticism.
With the attack on Russia, the West is trying to “divert attention from the deep crisis of the liberal development model”.
Meanwhile, criticism also came from the USA.
The designated national security advisor to the future US President Joe Biden also condemned the arrest of Navalny.
"Mr. Navalny should be released immediately, and those responsible for the heinous attack on his life must be held accountable," wrote Jake Sullivan on Sunday on the online service Twitter.
"The Kremlin's attacks on Mr. Navalny are not only a violation of human rights, but also an affront to Russian citizens who want their voices to be heard," he added.
There was also sharp criticism from London.
Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said on Twitter on Monday that the Russian authorities had arrested Navalny, “the victim of a heinous crime”, was “outrageous”.
He demanded the immediate release of the opposition politician.
Voices have also been heard from the EU to release Navalny.
EU Council President Charles Michel wrote on Twitter that the 44-year-old's arrest immediately after his arrival in Moscow was unacceptable.
"I call on the Russian authorities to release him immediately." He was joined by the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
He wrote on Twitter that political instrumentalization of the judiciary was not acceptable.
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After his return to Moscow, Navalny was arrested shortly after the passport control at the terminal.
Shortly before several police officers took Navalny away, the opposition politician hugged his wife who had traveled with them.
According to the Reuters news agency, a lawyer for the politician said a little later that he had been arrested.
The Russian prison authorities confirmed the information.
It is unclear where Navalny is currently being held.
The politician was the victim of a poison attack in Siberia in August.
He was flown to Germany and treated at the Berlin Charité.
Navalny accuses the Russian secret service of being behind his poisoning.
The Russian government denies any involvement in the attack.