EU foreign ministers have agreed to a new sanctions regime to punish Russian human rights abuses. The sanctions target the judiciary and penal system in no small part and are a reaction to the death of Alexei Navalny.
Foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states meeting in Brussels on Monday adopted a new system of sanctions to punish serious human rights violations in Russia.
The punitive sanctions, which are separate from the economic sanctions already imposed on Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, target individuals and organizations responsible for the repression of Russia’s political opposition. They include asset freezes and entry bans.
The system was formulated after the death of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who died under unclear circumstances in a Siberian penal colony in February.
Navalny’s death has been attributed by many to his harsh treatment at the hands of Russian authorities.
“Alexei Navalny’s shocking death was another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression by the Kremlin regime. We will spare no efforts to hold the Russian political leadership and authorities to account,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement announcing the new system.