Russia expects Western countries to provide diplomats with open access to courts

The report says that Russia drew attention to the increased interest on the part of foreign diplomats in the trial of Alexei Navalny.

According to the press service of the Simonovsky court, the meeting was attended by diplomats from 14 countries.

It is noted that the embassies of Poland and Switzerland sent two of their employees to the meeting at once.

At the same time, the meeting was open, the Russian side did not interfere with the presence of diplomats.

“We would like to emphasize that the law enforcement practice in Russia regarding the admission of foreign diplomats to court sessions is in sharp contrast to what the employees of our embassies face when they declare their intention to attend trials, and with the participation of Russian citizens,” the Foreign Ministry said. ...

The ministry noted that there are many examples of non-admission of Russian diplomats to court hearings on cases of Russian citizens in other countries.

"We expect from our colleagues a similar openness, respect for the rights and legitimate interests of Russian citizens, and also remind us of the obligation not to interfere in the internal affairs of the host state, as is enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961."

- reported in the ministry.

Earlier, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova did not rule out that the presence of Western diplomats at the trial in the Navalny case could be a form of pressure on the court.