Japan is urging Moscow to release the opposition leader and protestors
On Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi urged Moscow to release from detention Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and peaceful demonstrators, joining the United States and the European Union in expressing reservations about the crackdown.
Motegi said at a press conference. “The Japanese government is closely watching (the situation) with concern. We want to request the release of Mr. Navalny and those who have been detained arbitrarily while engaging in peaceful demonstrations,”
On January 17, Navalny, regarded as a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was arrested by the police shortly after he arrived in Moscow from Germany, where he had been recovering for five months after a nerve agent attack he blamed on the Russian authorities.
On Saturday, thousands of people protesting around Russia against Navalny’s detention were arrested.
“Regarding the poisoning incident with Mr. Navalny, Japan calls on Russia to ensure transparency and bring the perpetrators to justice,” said Motegi.
U.S. President Joe Biden said he was “very concerned” about Navalny’s arrest at a press conference on Monday, while President Charles Michel of the European Council condemned Navalny’s arrest and requested his immediate release in a call to Putin on 22 January.
Source: Japan Today
