After years of shallow jabs at his power, President Vladimir Putin of Russia has a worthy opposition leader to handle. Unfortunately, the loud Putin critic Alexey Navalny was arrested upon landing in Moscow this weekend after convalescing from being poisoned.
Navalny is a member of the Russia of the Future Party, or in our terms, progressive-leaning. He has voiced his opinions through conducting demonstrations against the Russian government and running for political offices.
His arrest is in regard to 2014 charges of fraud that Navalny insists are, 'Political.' Even with the odds against him, Navalny still insisted his supporters, 'not be silent.'
Navalny has been absent from Russia, and in Germany for 5 months since a Novichok nerve-agent poisoning almost took his life in August of 2020. The Russian government has firmly denied foul play. Although the coincidence still should be considered in the case of Navalny.
Many world leaders contributed their thoughts as Navalny's story has been anything but conventional to a free society like the United States.
The United Nations Human Rights Council called out Russia in regard to the Navalny arrest on Twitter.
🇷🇺 #Russia: We are deeply troubled by the arrest of Aleksei Navalny, and call for his immediate release and for his due process rights to be respected in line with the rule of law. We reiterate our call for a thorough and impartial investigation into his poisoning.
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) January 18, 2021
The critics of the arrest do not only reside outside of Russia, as supporters of Navalny protested outside of the police station in Khimki, Russia to contend against the 30-day jail sentence facing Navalny.
The incident and odd history of Navalny also caught the attention of high-profile US Politicians such as Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).
Rubio and his press team published on their Twitter feed that the attacks on Navalny are purely backed by Putin's thugs and an attempt to, 'Silence their opponents.'
Senator Rubio calls for the immediate release of #Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. #Putin & his thugs will stop at nothing to silence their opponents. The U.S. must hold accountable those responsible for the poisoning attacks & continued repression of the Russian people.
— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) January 18, 2021
After seeing the reactions from the global community, and knowing the history of Navalny and the Russian government, it is no secret that this abuse could all be occurring for political purposes that exists beyond the public spectacle.
