WP urged to impose sanctions on the participants in the Navalny process

The Washington Post newspaper has called for the imposition of sanctions against the judge and prosecutors involved in the case of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in accordance with the Magnitsky Law.

"A judge and prosecutors involved in the prosecution of Navalny would be good candidates for the next series of sanctions," says an editorial on Wednesday. “It can inspire people who are fighting for human rights in Russia.”

It was assumed that the conviction of the anti-corruption campaign organizer, who was found guilty of fraudulent embezzlement, and who had been under house arrest for several months, would be 15 of January. But after tens of thousands of Russians through social networks expressed a desire to take part in demonstrations in support of Navalny, authorities suddenly postponed the court session last Tuesday, the Washington Post notes.

A new tactical maneuver, the newspaper writes, was the decision of the judge who sentenced Navalny to a suspended sentence, and at the same time sent to prison for three and a half years his younger brother, who is not engaged in politics.

The newspaper connects this decision with the deteriorating economic and political situation in Russia.

“Partly thanks to his monopoly in the media, Russian President Vladimir Putin has high ratings,” the editorial said. “But Russian dissidents say that his support is fragile and is unlikely to remain in the face of economic collapse and significant military casualties.” Until now, protests in Moscow were easily held back by riot police. However, if Putin had not been alarmed by such an opposition, then in the Navalny case there would have been no such panicky improvisation. ”

According to the Washington Post, "the growth of resistance to the Putin regime will largely depend on the policies of the US and the EU."

“In March, the process of revising European sanctions will begin. Their preservation in the absence of the possible withdrawal of Russia from Ukraine will require strong leadership from US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ”the newspaper writes.

Source - Voice of America