Angela Merkel urges Russian President Putin to free jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

In a significant development, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Russian President Vlimir Putin to free his jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on anniversary of a poisoning attack on politician, whose life was saved by Berlin doctors. statement holds relevance as Putin denies ordering poisoning act and refuses to use Navalny's name in public too. Through years, Kremlin has referred to celebrated opposition leer as a "defendant".

German leer urges Russia to free Alexei Navalny

Standing next to Putin at a Kremlin joint press conference, Merkel said, "I demanded from Russian leer that he free Navalny. And I me clear that we will keep doing that."

Alexei Navalny is an opposition leer and vehement critic of very entrenched Putin-led government. Russian lawyer sought economic reforms, a fight against corruption and redressal to prevalent domestic issues in country. In 2016, Navalny h even announced his intention to contest opposite President Vlimir Putin in Presidential Elections, 2018. However, Russian election officials h formally barred him, deeming that 'he was not eligible to run for elections'.

Vlimir Putin justifies Navalny's detention

Putin denied Navalny was jailed for his political activity, furr claiming he was behind bars for "criminal offences". He has said that judicial decision of " Russian Federation should be treated with respect". Putin also said that fight against corruption "should not be used to achieve political goals". 

Russian supreme leer, in power since 2000 implied that Navalny's work politicised Russia's battle against corruption, on or hand, millions of Russians who 'follow' Navalny on social media believed he sought to uncover riches of Russia's political elite which is contrary to socialist overview of Russian apparatus. 

exchange between Russian and German leers holds key relevance after United Kingdom on August 19 announced new sanctions against several figures it says are Russian security agents that were involved in poisoning. 

Alexei Navalny suspicious arrest in Germany

Navalny was arrested on his return to Russia in January. He h been in Germany for several months, where he was receiving treatment after surviving a nerve agent poisoning attempt on his life, which, it has been claimed, was carried out by Russian agents. Kremlin (home and symbol of government of Russian Federation), however, has outrightly denied such involvement; but it has also ruled out any criminal investigation in poisoning episode. Neverless, his bravery in returning to Russia after barely surviving assassination and his subsequent travails in prison have earmarked him as an anti-Putin icon.

Alexei Navalny's alleged poisoning 

In August 2020, Navalny along with his wife Yulia Navalnaya was on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. He fell ill during flight, following which he was mitted to a hospital. Navalny's aides alleged that he h been poisoned and demanded his transfer from Russia to Germany for treatment.

Russian doctors ruled out poisoning but when Navalny reached Berlin, German doctors concluded that he was poisoned using Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. Navalny recovered following weeks in a medically-induced coma. Navalny continued his criticism of Russian state from Germany and claimed that Russian President Vlimir Putin was behind his poisoning.