Germany leads several other European countries in supporting imposing more EU sanctions on Russia after the death of Navalny
Germany and other European Union member states intend to propose further sanctions against Russia following the death of Kremlin critic and opposition politician Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison camp.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said an EU tool allowing sanctions for serious human rights violations would be used to punish Russia for Navalny’s death.
Her statements came on Monday just before a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels.
The sanctions tool, called the EU Universal Human Rights Sanctions System, has already been used to punish cadres in the Russian government over Navalny’s imprisonment.
The sanctioned individuals’ accounts and other assets in the European Union will be frozen.
In addition, they will no longer be allowed to enter the European Union or do business with citizens of EU countries.
European Union foreign and security policy chief Josep Borrell also said Monday that he would propose renaming the tool the “Navalny human rights sanctions regime” in honor of Navalny’s fight for human rights.
Borrell also invited Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, to attend a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.
