|
In
a video message on Saturday, Scholz said he had spoken with
Navalny while he was recovering in hospital in Berlin and found
him to be a brave man who wanted to return to Russia to fight
for democracy, freedom and the rule of law.
On his return, however, Navalny - President Vladimir Putin's
most vocal critic inside Russia - was immediately imprisoned.
"The war that Russia started against Ukraine is a war that also
has consequences for Russia," Scholz said. "Freedom and
democracy were already endangered before. But now, freedom of
expression is much more endangered and many fear to say their
own opinion."
That was why it was so important to remember Navalny, Scholz
added, since he was fighting for his belief that "one lives best
in a democracy and state governed by the rule of law".
Navalny is serving an 11-1/2 year sentence after being found
guilty of parole violations and fraud and contempt of court
charges. He says all the charges were fabricated as a pretext to
jail him and thwart his political ambitions.
The 46-year-old returned to Russia in 2021 from Germany where he
had been treated for what Western laboratory tests showed was an
attempt to poison him in Siberia with a Soviet-era nerve agent.
Russia denies trying to kill him.
(Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Christina Fincher)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
