Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Union honors the victims of political repression in Russia and pays tribute to those who continue to work to commemorate former victims and against attempts to manipulate and erase the historical memory of political repression in the country. According to Maja in a statement issued by the office of European Foreign Policy Coordinator Josep Borrell and distributed in Brussels, it also stated: “We have In recent years we have witnessed an unprecedented disrespect for human rights in Russia. The dismantling of organizations like Memorial represents an irreparable loss to the Russian people and the rest of Europe.
Russia also exploits and distorts history to justify its illegal, aggressive war against Ukraine. Russian authorities have increased their internal repression by cracking down on opposition politicians, civil society organisations, human rights defenders, independent media, journalists and critical voices, through repressive legislation and politically motivated rulings.
Reports of repeated ill-treatment, harassment and physical and psychological torture at the hands of Russian prison authorities are deeply disturbing. The Russian authorities will be held accountable.
We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Yuri Dmitriev, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, Alexei Gorenov and Ivan Safronov. We remain deeply concerned about the health conditions of Vladimir Kara-Murza, Alexei Navalny and Alexei Gorenov, which have been seriously worsened by prison conditions and ill-treatment, and we call on the Russian authorities to ensure that all political prisoners have access to appropriate health care.
The increasing harassment of human rights lawyers in Russia is another deeply worrying trend. Lawyers have an essential role in upholding the rule of law and the human rights of defendants. They must be allowed to practice their profession safely and without fear.
We once again call on Russia to adhere to the fundamental rights enshrined in its Constitution as well as international and human rights law. We urge Russia to abandon its repressive legislation, including laws prohibiting truthful information about Russia's war against Ukraine, punishing so-called "defamation" of the Russian Armed Forces and laws regarding so-called "foreign agents" and "undesirable organizations." . Which is used to suppress civil society and independent voices.