MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the increasing repression in Russia, including the case of Alexey Navalny

5.4.2022 - (2022/2622(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Pedro Marques, Andrea Cozzolino, Evin Incir
on behalf of the S&D Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0181/2022

B9‑0188/2022

European Parliament resolution on the increasing repression in Russia, including the case of Alexey Navalny

(2022/2622(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia,

 

– having regard to the declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU of 22 March 2022 on the ruling to extend Alexei Navalny’s politically motivated imprisonment by an additional 9 years,

– having regard to the statement by the High Representative of 28 March 2022 on the Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta,

– having regard to the G7 Leader’s Statement of 24 March 2022,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

 

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

 

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

 

– having regard to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,

 

– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure.

 

 

A. whereas the Russian Federation launched an unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, blatantly violating international law and the UN Charter as well as the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, directly targeting the civilian population, residential areas and civilian infrastructure and causing immense suffering to the population of Ukraine;

 

B. whereas the Russian regime has intensified in an unprecedented manner its crackdown on peaceful protesters, independent journalists and bloggers, human rights defenders and civil society activists in an effort to silence any criticism of and opposition to its unprovoked, unjustified and illegal military aggression against Ukraine;

 

C. whereas on 4 March 2022 the Russian Parliament amended the criminal code to impose a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for spreading allegedly ‘fake’ information about the war in Ukraine; whereas on 22 March the law was expanded to criminalise the sharing of ‘fake news’ about any activities of Russia’s official bodies abroad;

 

D. whereas hundreds of thousands of people in Russia have participated in peaceful demonstrations since February; whereas the Russian regime has deployed indiscriminate use of force and mass arrests against those protesters and more than 60 criminal cases have already been brought against peaceful protesters and voices critical of the war waged by Russia in Ukraine;

 

E. whereas Russian authorities have forced several independent media outlets to suspend their activities, close down, or move their activities abroad while blocking access to others in the context of growing internet censorship, control and isolation, thereby depriving the Russian population of unbiased information about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the war crimes being committed there in the name of the Russian Federation; whereas on 28 March 2022, the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has been forced to suspend its reporting as a result of systematic and consistent pressure on independent media in Russia, adding yet another example for the escalating restrictions of freedom of expression and media freedom;

 

F.  whereas Alexei Navalny, Russia’s best-known anti-corruption activist and opposition politician, has been arrested in January 2021 and in prison since February 2021 serving an arbitrary politically motivated sentence;  whereas on 22 March 2022, Alexei Navalny was sentenced to an additional 9 years in prison on construed charges; whereas the case of Alexei Navalny is only the most prominent example for the political instrumentalisation of Russia’s legal system for the purpose of silencing any dissenting voices in civil society;

 

G. whereas the current intensified crackdown follows years of attempts to intimidate the civil society and prevent any political opposition, inter alia through the Russian ‘Foreign Agents’ Law, the legislation on ‘undesirable organisations’, on ‘countering extremist activity’ and newly on spreading ‘fake’ information about the war in Ukraine; whereas all this legislation pressures civil society actors to refuse foreign funding, engage in self-censorship and reduce publicity and activities in fear of state retaliation; whereas this legislation violates Russia’s own constitution and international human rights obligations, in particular concerning the freedom of association and expression, the right to privacy, the right to participate in public affairs as well as the prohibition of discrimination;

 

1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against and invasion of Ukraine:

 

2.  Firmly condemns the Russian regime’s increased repression against anti-war protesters, independent journalists, human rights defenders and the civil society overall in an effort to silence any opposition to the Russian aggression against Ukraine;

 

3. Strongly condemns the additional arbitrary sentence of 9 years in prison imposed on Alexei Navalny and calls for the immediate release and lifting of construed charges against his person;

 

4.  Calls for an immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained for speaking up against Russia’s war in Ukraine and demands that all charges on this basis be lifted;

 

5. Calls for an immediate repeal of the changes to the criminal code introduced on 4 March  and on 22 March 2022 to impose a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for spreading ‘fake’ information about the war in Ukraine and criticising Russian actions abroad; reiterates its demand to the Federal Assembly, the government and the president to repeal the Law on ‘Foreign Agents’ that is in breach with Russia’s own constitution and violates Russia’s commitments as a member of the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and signatory to relevant UN declarations;

 

6. Calls on the Russian Federation to halt violating its international human rights obligations and the constitutional right of its population for freedom of expression, information, assembly and other human rights;

 

7. Calls on the Russian Federation to refrain from using arbitrary interpretation of legal provisions such as in the Law on ‘Foreign Agents’ for judicial harassment against civil society organisations; expresses deep concern about the wide impact of a general crackdown on Russian civil society through discriminatory laws and disproportionate legal proceedings, including on civil society actors active in the social sphere;

 

8.  Condemns the closure of Memorial (International Memorial Society and the Memorial Human Rights Centre), one of Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organisations;

 

9.  Expresses deep concern of how the crackdown on Russian civil society, human right’s defenders and women’s rights activists further exaggerates the situation of already vulnerable and targeted groups in the country;

 

10. Reiterates its support to Russia’s civil society, independent media and human rights defenders and calls on Russia to establish a clear legal framework as well as a safe working environment for civil society organisations, media and political actors in line with Russia’s constitution and international obligations and with international human rights standards;

 

11. Calls on the UN Human Rights Council to urgently and fully investigate the abuses of the right to information and freedom of expression perpetrated by the Russian regime;

 

12. Reiterates its call on the Commission and on the Member States to provide increased, flexible and sustainable funding directly to Russian civil society actors and independent journalists in Russia or in exile as well as emergency assistance and support where needed, among others also to civil society organisations linked to Alexei Navalny; calls on the EU to strengthen the protection of rights and physical integrity of activists, independent journalists and human rights defenders targeted by the Russian authorities’ repression, including through the issuing of emergency visas and providing temporary shelter in EU Member States;

 

13. Calls on the Vice-President of the Commission/ High Representative and the Council to make use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Russian officials involved in the repression against Russian civil society and media who speak out against the war waged by Russia against Ukraine;

 

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission/ High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and to the President, Government and Parliament of the Russian Federation.