BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders condemned the treatment of jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and demanded his immediate release, European Council President Charles Michel said after chairing a summit of the bloc’s leaders on Thursday.
“We condemn the treatment of Alexei Navalny and we demand his immediate release,” Michel told a news conference.
“On Monday, (EU) foreign ministers reached a political agreement to impose restrictive measures against those responsible for his arrest and sentencing, and a decision will be formalised next week in the framework of the new European global sanctions regime,” Michel added.
(Reporting by John Chalmers)