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The European Parliament has passed a resolution acknowledging that Alexei Navalny is being tortured and subjected to ill-treatment. They demanded that he be provided medical care and a doctor.
According to the resolution, the already-cruel treatment is becoming intolerable, and it is being applied not only to Navalny but also to Russia’s other political prisoners. The MPs also demanded that Navalny be moved to a pre-trial facility with access to his lawyers and permission for family visits.
In the resolution, the European Parliament:
“- Stresses that both Ukraine and democracy in Russia must be victorious, and that both victories will also be victories for Alexei Navalny; calls for the EU and the whole democratic community to have a clear strategy to assist in both victories.
- Urges Member States to provide assistance to Russian human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists, and independent journalists in and outside of Russia.
- Stresses that Putin must be put on trial for crimes against his own population.
- Urges the Council to adopt restrictive measures against those responsible for arbitrary prosecutions and torture against anti-war protesters.”
On February 1, Navalny was reported to have lost seven kilos and to be suffering from stomachaches. He had been sent to a punishment cell regularly and has most recently been moved to the in-colony prison for six months. While in this prison, the inmate is only entitled to one parcel and one short family visit in six months.
Navalny’s health is deteriorating rapidly, and he is experiencing problems with his back. Furthermore, he recently contracted an acute respiratory infection when the colony administration deliberately placed a sick inmate in his cell. In January, over 600 doctors signed an open letter to Putin demanding medical assistance for Navalny and an end to his confinement in the punishment cell.