MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2021) Presence of foreign diplomats at the hearing on the fraud case of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny in Moscow is interference in Russia's internal affairs, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova said Tuesday.
"About 20 representatives of diplomatic missions from Western countries, such as the US, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Austria have arrived at the Moscow City Court," where Navalny's case is being heard, Zakharova wrote on Facebook, citing news agencies.
Zakharova argued that foreign diplomats usually attend hearings to supports citizens of their country, whereas Navalny is a Russian citizen, even if "the West sees Navalny as 'one of their own."
According to the spokeswoman, "this is not just interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state." "This is confession of unpleasant and illegal role of the West in attempts to contain Russia," Zakharova wrote.
"Or is it an attempt to put psychological pressure on the judge? I cannot rule out that they are worried about NATO millions (say, from the US or the UK) that were poured into illegal activities in Russia � they'll have to report to their capitals on what it was spent on," the spokeswoman said.
