Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
17. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the latest developments in the case of (details supplied) and other political prisoners in Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3420/24]
View answerPresident Putin deals with his political opponents either by poisoning them or imprisoning them. In the case of Mr. Alexei Navalny, he did both. He had him poisoned in August 2020 and imprisoned in January 2021. I am conscious of the limited powers we as a country have, but what are the views of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in respect of the ongoing detention of Mr. Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia?
I thank the Deputy for raising this important question. We are deeply concerned by the ongoing erosion of human rights in Russia – it is shocking – and the persecution of individuals for exercising their personal freedoms, including the rights to freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly. The arbitrary arrest, prosecution and sentencing of Mr. Alexei Navalny and the subsequent instrumentalisation of the court system against him raise obvious and serious questions about the rule of law and the protection of human rights in Russia. Mr. Navalny continues to serve politically motivated sentences amounting to more than 30 years and endures persistent ill treatment, with great risks to his life. On 17 January, High Representative Borrell issued a statement on behalf of the EU calling for his immediate and unconditional release and condemning in the strongest possible terms all politically motivated rulings against Mr. Navalny for actions that constitute legitimate political and anti-corruption activities.
The decision in January 2024 to move Mr. Navalny to one of the most remote penal colonies in Siberia is a stark indication of attempts to further silence him ahead of the upcoming presidential elections as well as a broader trend towards stifling a wider political discourse that has intensified since Russia began its aggression against Ukraine.
Ireland and the EU have called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Russia, including Mr. Yuri Dimitriev, Mr. Vladimir Kara-Murza, Mr. Ilya Yashin and several others. We also highlighted the situation of three lawyers defending Mr. Navalny who, last November, were added to Russia’s list of terrorists and extremists. They remain in pre-trial detention and face up to six years of imprisonment. Lawyers have a fundamental role in upholding the rule of law and the human rights of defendants. We will continue to work with international partners to keep pressure on the Russian Government to uphold the rule of law and protect human rights.
I commend the Deputy on raising this matter, as not too many others in the House have.
I thank the Tánaiste and welcome his response. It is also important we point out that, in February 2021, the European Court of Human Rights directed that Mr. Navalny should be released immediately. Of course, that direction was completely ignored by President Putin and the Russian regime.
It is important we keep highlighting the continued detention of individuals in Russia who are detained simply because of their political beliefs. Many of us with an interest in history look back at the Stalinist period and wonder how that happened and what the West did in response. Part of the defence people put forward is that they were not aware of the extent of the Stalinist crimes at the time, but we are fully aware of the type of regime that is being operated by President Putin. Although Ireland has a limited and small voice, it is extremely important we continue to express that voice and our opinion in opposition to the detention of people for their political opinions.
Sometimes, we take for granted the freedom we have in this country to express our political opinions. Other people in other countries would give their left arms for that. It is important the Tánaiste continues to express the concern this country has over human rights treatment in Russia.
I agree 100%. The Deputy is correct about the European Court of Human Rights granting interim measures in February 2021 on behalf of Mr. Navalny. In January and February of 2021, there were mass detentions and scenes of police violence across Russia during peaceful protests that were linked to Mr. Navalny’s arrest and imprisonment. Other domestic opposition leaders have been arrested and prosecuted on politically motivated charges. Legislation has been introduced to essentially shut down civil society in Russia.
I have noticed in this House and elsewhere that we hear a lot of whataboutery when it comes to Russia and Ukraine.
I have noticed it in the House and elsewhere in the debate. Here is a deeply repressive regime on a par with anything that happened in the past. The Deputy mentioned the Stalinist era. There is no question that Russia is a consolidated authoritarian regime where power is concentrated in the hands of Vladimir Putin. That is articulated in the 2023 study by Freedom House.
I am conscious we are limited in what we can do but the Russian people are suffering as a result of this regime. Historically, I do not think any people have suffered as much as the Russian people. They had 300 years of the tsars and the Romanovs, then they had 70 years of deranged Marxist-Leninists who controlled their thoughts and their operation, and that has been followed by 25 years of a dictator. We are limited in what we can do. All we can do is express our support for political opposition. People have to be allowed to express political opposition. It is great to be part of a country in which we have vigorous opposition and political debate. When you get to the stage where a political leader is not prepared to hear opposition, let alone countenance opposition taking control, that is when we have to speak against it. All we can do, and I commend the Tánaiste on doing it, is speak out and remind people of it. We live in a world of so many atrocities and issues of concern that people like Alexei Navalny can be forgotten about unless people in this House raise his case.
I commend the Deputy on raising it because the level of repression in Russia is extraordinary yet it does not excite the public anger in this country that it should. Civil society is shut down, media is suppressed and no one can speak out against the leadership. Politicians are arrested and lawyers defending people are arrested and just put into jail. That is why there was an exodus from Russia of many people of a liberal disposition. They simply got out of Russia, which is doubly depressing in that it copper-fastens the regime and the absence of any articulation of issues that might be contrary to the views of the President of Russia. That is what makes its invasion of Ukraine more sensitive and why the people of Lithuania and Latvia see this as an existential issue.
