In a significant stance against the Russian court’s sentencing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to an additional prison term, Poland’s Foreign Ministry has voiced its strong condemnation. The ruling will now extend Navalny’s time in confinement to a staggering 19 years in a penal colony. This sentence comes after he was found guilty of allegedly founding and financing an extremist organization and engaging in related activities.
Having been imprisoned since 2021, Navalny has already been serving a nine-year sentence for charges of fraud and contempt of court. The opposition figure denies all accusations, vehemently asserting that they are politically motivated, highlighting the current climate of dissent in Russia.
Taking to the platform formerly known as Twitter, the Polish Foreign Ministry expressed its concerns over the degradation of human rights in Russia, stating, “The sentencing of A. Navalny by a Russian court to 19 years in prison is another example of the deterioration of human rights in Russia.” The Ministry further emphasized its unequivocal denouncement of the verdict against the Russian oppositionist, underscoring the urgency to address the alarming decline of human rights in the country.
As Navalny prepares to serve out his sentence in a penal colony operating under a special regime, notorious for holding the most dangerous inmates, he has been vocal about the unbearable conditions, referring to them as torture. The situation has garnered international attention and raised questions about the treatment of prisoners in Russia.