US, UK condemn Alexei Navalny's arrest, call for his 'immediate, unconditional release'

The United States and the United Kingdom have condemned the Moscow court's order after it sent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to prison for more than two-and-a-half years. The US and UK have called for the opposition leader’s immediate release. Navalny has been sentenced prison time for violating the terms of his probation while he was recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning. His arrest and mass detention of his supporters have triggered a wave of condemnation from the west. Following his court hearing, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded Russia to free the Kremlin critic “immediately and unconditionally”. 

READ: Alexei Navalny Sentenced To Over 2 Years In Prison By Russian Court

The United Kingdom urged Russia to release him. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called the Moscow court order “perverse”. He further also urged Russia to release Navalny as well as all the peaceful protesters and journalist who were arrested over the last two weeks.  

READ: Nearly 1,000 Held As Navalny Supporters Demonstrate

Pro-Navalny protests 

Meanwhile, protesters gathered again in the streets of Moscow on Tuesday to protest against the sentencing and hundreds were detained by the authorities. This comes after police detained over 4,000 people in connection to the protests in Moscow on Sunday, which saw thousands of people gather to oppose Navalny's detention. On January 23, similar protests took place across Russia, which saw over 3,500 people being detained by the police.  

In 2014, Navalny was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years, of which he has already served 10 months under house arrest. Navalny was found guilty of financial fraud by a Russian court. When Navalny was in Germany for treatment, the Kremlin critic was warned by a Russian court that he return as soon as possible because he is allegedly in violation of his probation. After his arrest earlier this month, the international community condemned the action and called for his immediate release. 

READ: Navalny Slams Court That Could Send Him To Prison

READ: Swedish FM Calls For Navalny's Release