Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday condemned Moscow for what he said were "harsh tactics" against peaceful demonstrators during protests against Russian President Vladimir Putin's government.
"The U.S. condemns the persistent use of harsh tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists by Russian authorities for a second week straight,” Blinken wrote in a tweet. “We renew our call for Russia to release those detained for exercising their human rights, including [Alexei] Navalny.”
The criticism from the U.S. secretary of state came after news reports that thousands were arrested during recent protests in Russia.
Navalny is a major Russian opposition figure and the most prominent critic of Putin who doctors said was poisoned with a nerve agent last year. He was arrested earlier this month when he returned to Russia following his recovery in Germany.
He has been held in detention ever since after Russian courts ruled that he did not abide by the terms of his 2014 conviction for embezzlement.
However, the European Court of Human Rights disputes that conviction as politically motivated.
Blinken's statement marks a significant shift from a much more hands-off American approach toward Putin and Russia during the Trump administration, according to Politico.
In President Joe Biden's first phone conversation with Putin following his inauguration, Navalny’s situation was one of several "matters of concern" brought up, according to White House officials.
“President Biden made clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us or our allies,” the White House said in a statement following the conversation. “The two presidents agreed to maintain transparent and consistent communication going forward.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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