Merkel again asked Putin to release Navalny – Topka

“I asked the Russian president to release Navalny. From our point of view, it is unacceptable for (Navalny) to serve his sentence in a penal colony on the basis of a verdict classified by the European Court of Human Rights as manifestly disproportionate.” declared Merkel.

In response to Merkel’s words, Putin said Navalny was not convicted on the basis of his political activity, but on the basis of crimes he had committed against foreign partners. Navalny is serving a custodial sentence for violating the terms of a suspended sentence in a case of alleged embezzlement of Yves Rocher cosmetics. Putin did not say Navalny’s name again during the press conference. “The person you mentioned was not convicted on the basis of his political activity, but on the basis of crimes he committed against foreign partners.” said the head of the Kremlin.

Angela Merkel arrived in Moscow on the day of the first anniversary of Naval poisoning. There are tensions between Berlin and Moscow over a number of disputes, including the murder of a Chechen Georgian in Berlin and the 2015 hacking attack on the German Bundestag. Putin said Merkel would always be welcome in Russia after she left the post. German chancellor.