“From our perspective, the conviction to stay in a penal colony on the basis of an earlier judgment, which the European Court of Human Rights has classified as manifestly disproportionate, is not acceptable,” said Merkel on Friday during her farewell visit to Moscow.
She had asked Putin “once again for Alexej Navalny to be released and made it clear that we would stick to the matter here,” Merkel added to journalists. Exactly a year ago the mysterious poison attack on the Kremlin critic, who blames the Russian authorities for it, took place. After returning to Russia, Navalny was convicted and taken to a prison camp.
“Certain rules violated”
In response, Putin defended the actions of the Russian judiciary once again: “I would like to emphasize that he was not convicted for his political actions, but that he violated certain rules.” These would also apply to international partners, among other things. He accused the opposition of political machinations.
As for the Russian courts and their decisions – “please respect them,” said the Kremlin chief. All citizens of Russia have the right to express their opinion, including on political issues – but only within the legal framework. “Russia has exhausted its need for revolution.”
45-year-old Navalny is the fiercest opponent of the Russian president. He fell into a coma exactly one year ago on August 20, 2020 on a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow. Two days later, the opposition was flown to the Charité University Hospital in Berlin for treatment. He also met Chancellor Merkel there. She had repeatedly asked Moscow to investigate the attack using the chemical warfare agent Novichok.
Putin warned the Taliban
Putin, meanwhile, has warned the Taliban against expanding their power beyond Afghanistan. “The Taliban are not allowed to cross the country’s borders,” he said after meeting Merkel. That is of “central importance”. The head of state advocated building and strengthening democracy in Afghanistan. “We must not allow the Afghan government to fall apart.” The radical Islamic Taliban have already started to create a legal system in the country. Putin once again called for an internationally coordinated approach. He hoped that the international community would stick together.
Merkel asked Putin for help in rescuing Afghan local workers. For the German government, the priority at the moment is to bring as many people as possible to Germany who have helped in 20 years of NATO work, said the Chancellor. She asked them to point out in talks with the Taliban that cooperation on humanitarian issues with the Taliban would be better if these people could leave the country.
Merkel said she made it clear “that it is a very frustrating moment to see the Taliban return and control the country”. Now you have to try to talk to them. The Chancellor reaffirmed that the West had succeeded in averting the acute threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan. “But she is not permanently banned.” However, all of the more far-reaching goals had not been achieved.
