The European Parliament presented the Sakharov Prize to Russian lawyer and political activist Alexeï Navalny on Wednesday (December 15th). In his absence, his daughter Daria Navalnya, accompanied by relatives, went to the European Parliament in Strasbourg for a ceremony and took the opportunity to call on the European Union to stop sparing the Russian president and to oppose more frontally his attacks.
With our special correspondent in Strasbourg, Romain Lemaresquier
It is in a hemicycle not quite complete, the fault of the pandemic, that was awarded the Sakharov Prize 2021, the 34th since its creation as recalled by David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament. Because the prize is named after the scientist and Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his fight for human rights, civil liberties and reform in his country.
This year, a compatriot being awarded this award, David Sassoli did not hesitate to make the connection between the two: ” Without a doubt Sakharov would be very proud of the tenacity with which Alexei Navalny fights for human rights and fundamental freedoms. “
In the absence of the winner, it was his daughter Daria Navalnya who came to Strasbourg. A girl who says she is proud and who wants this award to inspire her compatriots:
” When I learned that my father Alexei Navalny had received the Sakharov Prize, I was very happy for two reasons. First of all, it is a huge honor that we recognize the merits of the work that he has done and that he continues to accomplish with his colleagues. And then, it is also a message to the tens of millions of fellow citizens in my country who continue to fight for a better future in Russia. “
Alexeï Navalny is currently in prison. Sentenced to three and a half in prison for violating his judicial control, the Russian opponent must now face other charges that could well extend his stay behind bars.
For Daria Navalnya, the Europeans must stop treating Vladimir Poutine under the guise of ” pragmatism And oppose more head-on to its attacks on human rights. ” The pacification of dictators and tyrants never works Said the 20-year-old student, standing in the hemicycle next to an empty chair, symbolizing the absence of her father.
” Under the argument of pragmatism, there is cynicism, hypocrisy and corruption », Criticized Daria Navalnaya, criticizing« the desire to appease the dictator again and again, not to anger him, to ignore his crimes as long as possible. “
“All types of pressure and torture are inflicted” on Navalny
In addition to his daughter Daria Navalnya, Navalny’s relative and his political advisor Leonid Volkov were also present in Strasbourg. The latter also called on Monday, December 13 the European Union for more firmness against Vladimir Putin and more sanctions against ” kleptocrats Of his diet. He also took the opportunity to address the issue of the Russian activist’s detention conditions.
He works almost all the time. Regarding his conditions of detention, the last independent Russian television channel made a story about him based on statements from his former co-detainees who detail these current conditions of detention. And all kinds of pressure and torture are inflicted on him, but never physical. No one has the right to hit him. On the other hand, anything that comes to their minds bad they can do.
Leonid Volkov, on the conditions of detention of Navalny