The winners of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize have called on the Red Cross to “interfere” in the fate of jailed Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who has reported harsh conditions in prison for minor infractions.
Navalny, 46, is serving a nine-year sentence that his supporters dismiss as politically motivated. He has denounced his regular placement in “cramped cells” and the deprivation of family visits, calling his treatment an attempt to silence his continued activism from behind bars.
More recently, Navalny’s supporters have sounded the alarm over his deteriorating health and prison doctors’ refusal to treat him.
Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov and his Philippine colleague Maria Ressa appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross in an open letter to act on its mission to “prevent and alleviate human suffering.”
“As long as the torment [of Navalny] continues, we’re all accomplices of the executioners,” they wrote in an open letter published on the website of Muratov’s Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
“We’re convinced that independent humanitarian organizations should interfere in the fate of Alexei Navalny,” the publication said.
But a Red Cross representative told one of the letter’s co-authors that the humanitarian organization “has no mandate for such actions,” according to Novaya Gazeta.
Muratov and Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize in late 2021 for their “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression” in their respective countries, which have both seen crackdowns on independent media.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
