Germany calls for Navalny's release, end of crackdown

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesperson reiterated on Wednesday the German leader's call for the immediate release of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and an end to the police crackdown against anti-government protesters.

Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that the Moscow court's verdict "was far from the principles of rule of law."

Seibert noted that the ruling was based on an earlier verdict that the European Court of Human Rights had deemed "arbitrary" and a breach of Navalny's rights to a fair trial.

He added that Russia has pledged to respect the European Convention on Human Rights that the Strasbourg-based court cited.

"Therefore the German government and the chancellor personally call for the release of Mr. Navalny," Seibert said.

Seibert also cited media reports of what he called "outrageous examples of police brutality, police violence against peaceful and defenseless protesters."

"The German government condemns this systematic use of violence against peaceful protesters," he said.