Tiedotteet

Joint statement by

• the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, MEP Udo BULLMANN,
• the Chair of the Delegation for relations with Russia, MEP Ryszard CZARNECKI,
• and the European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Russia, MEP Andrius KUBILIUS,

on the transfer to solitary confinement of Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza by the Russian authorities.

Brussels, 28 September 2023 - "We express our deepest concern over the recent transfer of jailed Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza to a maximum-security prison in Siberia and to solitary confinement.

After Mr Kara-Murza's harsh sentence to 25 years in prison on politically motivated charges, which is the longest against a Russian opposition figure in recent years, this new decision amounts to total mistreatment and puts his life at risk. Suffering from diagnosed polyneuropathy, his new detention conditions in an isolation cell and lack of adequate medical care are clear violations of human rights.

We stand in solidarity with Vladimir Kara-Murza and we demand his immediate and unconditional release, as well as that of Alexei Navalny and all other political prisoners who, despite enduring repression and severe consequences that endanger their lives, persist in their fight for human rights and freedom of speech.

We strongly denounce and condemn the magnitude of human rights violations by the Russian authorities which has adopted a pattern of suppression of civil and political rights in Russia, the effective closure of the civic space, the silencing of public dissent and independent media as outlined by the UN's Special Rapporteur for Russia, Mariana Katzarova in her address to the UN Human Rights Council last week. We call on the Russian authorities to put an end to the continued repression of independent voices in Russia and uphold its international obligations.

We commend the Council's decision to add nine Russian citizens, including officials, judges, and a deputy justice minister, to the list of sanctioned individuals for their involvement in serious human rights abuses, in particular the politically motivated sentencing and ill-treatment of Vladimir Kara-Murza. However, we also urge the Council to impose strong sanctions under the EU's global human rights sanctions regime, against Russian judges, prosecutors, and other individuals responsible for other arbitrary prosecutions, detentions, and torture in politically motivated trials.

In light of the ongoing human rights abuses, we call on the UN Human Rights Council to initiate an immediate investigation into the inhuman imprisonment, torture, and murder of political opponents in Russia, including Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Russia."

For further information contact:

Eastern Partnership and Russia Unit, tel. +32 2 283 30 13, e-mail:

D-RU@europarl.europa.eu

Statement by the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, MEP Ryszard CZARNECKI

on the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces

Brussels, 25 February 2022: "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the military invasion of Ukraine ordered by President Putin, in full disregard with the respect of the principles of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the countries and their right to self-determination.

In light of this and last night's European Council decisions, I call on the EU, the European member states, the US and the international community to adopt swiftly further the most severe, internationally coordinated sanctions against the Russian Federation and its representatives, in view to entirely isolate Russia from the international financial system and international institutions.

The EU and its allies must be determined in showing unity and not leave this blatant breach of international law unpunished. It is now clearer than ever that if President Putin is not stopped now, it is the security of our continent that is at stake and that of our children.

I want to reiterate my strongest support and solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people who have already been suffering through eight years of war in their country."

Joint statement by the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, MEP Ryszard CZARNECKI, and the Standing rapporteur of the EP Recommendation on the future of EU-Russia political relations, MEP Andrius KUBILIUS

on the current state of the build-up of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border

Brussels, 27 January 2022: "We are concerned about the military build-up of Russian troops along the border of Ukraine and in the illegally occupied territories, including the Crimean peninsula. This most recent military build-up involving a large number of troops constitutes a credible and serious threat to Ukraine's and Europe's security and is yet another sign of Russia's aggressive behaviour and strategy to destabilise Ukraine and the wider region.

We call on the international community to make further diplomatic efforts to avoid a renewed wave of military aggression that would inevitably trigger serious consequences, including further sanctions from the EU and our allies.

The European Parliament is following developments closely and we reiterate our unwavering support to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Statement by the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC), MEP Ryszard Czarnecki, on the detention of Mr Andrey Pivovarov, Director of the dissolved ONG 'Open Russia' on board of an EU commercial airplane about to take off from St. Petersburg airport

Brussels, 3 June 2021 - "I deplore the detention by the Russian authorities of Mr Andrey Pivovarov, the former director of the dissolved 'Open Russia' ONG, on board of an airplane of an EU commercial carrier (LOT) about to take off at Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg for a flight to the capital of an EU Member State (Warsaw, Poland). [...]

Brussels, 8 February 2021 - "We strongly condemn the recent decision by the Russian Federation to expel from the country three EU diplomats, respectively from Germany, Poland and Sweden. The expulsion of those diplomats is utterly unjustified and runs counter to the letter and spirit of the Vienna convention, which explicitly allows diplomats to ascertain by all lawful means conditions and developments in the receiving State, and report thereon to the Government of the sending State.

We therefore urge the Russian Federation to respect international law and reverse its decision. A failure to do so would be yet another signal of the will of the Russian Federation to disrespect the international commitments it has freely assumed.

In this respect, we ask all EU Member States to show maximum solidarity with Germany, Poland and Sweden and take all appropriate steps to show the cohesiveness and strength of our Union." [...]