Canada Sanctions Russia Over Critic's Death
Canada announced new sanctions on Sunday against several high-ranking Russian officials in response to egregious and systematic human rights violations.
These sanctions directly target individuals involved in the mistreatment and ultimate death of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a statement, Ottawa explained that the sanctioned officials contributed to Navalny's cruel punishment and eventual death while in prison. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly emphasised Canada's commitment to working with its partners to maintain pressure on the Russian government for a full and transparent investigation into Navalny's death.
Navalny, a fierce critic of Putin's regime, died in an Arctic penal colony on February 16 under unexplained circumstances. He was serving a 19-year sentence for alleged "extremism," a charge widely seen as politically motivated. His family, friends, and numerous Western leaders have accused the Kremlin of being responsible for his murder, which Russia vehemently denies.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
