Italy remains committed to an open and human rights-friendly dialogue with its partners, including Russia, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday, commenting on the arrest of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2021) Italy remains committed to an open and human rights-friendly dialogue with its partners, including Russia, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday, commenting on the arrest of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny.
On January 17, Navalny was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where he returned after spending several months in Germany undergoing medical treatment and rehabilitation after a suspected poisoning. He was put in 30 days of pre-trial detention for breaching bail on embezzlement charges.
"Italy has an important tradition of dialogue ... but which cannot develop detrimentally to human rights and the rule of law, which we will continue to promote in Russia and elsewhere," Di Maio told parliament, as quoted by Italian news agency ANSA.
According to the official, the Italian public has reacted to the Navalny case with "strong indignation."
"We will follow it with the utmost attention in all forums, with frankness and without any complaisance," the foreign minister was quoted as saying.
At the time of his suspected poisoning last August, Navalny was on bail under two convictions one on embezzlement and one on financial fraud charges.
On December 29, the Russian authorities declared Navalny wanted for breaching bail at the petition of the Federal Penitentiary Service. The next hearing on his case is scheduled for February 2.
