Navalny's foundation urges Biden to impose sanctions on Putin's allies

The foundation set up by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has called on US President Joe Biden to impose sanctions on several high profile Russian figures it says is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a letter addressed to Biden, Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) had mentioned 35 names, with eight out of them on “priority shortlist”. All the listed people are classified into three groups - the oligarchs, human right abusers and individuals involved in the persecution of Navalny and his organisation.

The letter comes as protests against Navalny’s detention have intensified with thousands of supporters’ descending on the Russian capital and nearby areas. In retaliation, Russian authorities detained thousands of demonstrators including Navalny’s wife and close allies. The 44-year-old Putin critic was detained at Moscow airport earlier this month and is scheduled for a trial next week.

Read: Russia Detains 4,000 Protesters For Storming Streets Of Moscow Over Navalny's Arrest

Read:  Over 5,000 Arrested At Pro-Navalny Protests Across Russia

According to a report by the CNN, seven out of the total are already on US sanction lists. One prominent name in the high priority group is that of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who is accused of being a “key enabler” and alleged beneficiary of “kremlin kleptocracy”. Another important name is the country’s health minister Mikhail Murashko, who has been accused of “covering up” Navalny’s poisoning and “hindering” his medical treatment in Germany.  Speaking to CNN,  FBK executive director Vladimir Ashurkov revealed that he and Navalny had together composed the list including the 8 priority shortlist, while Navalny was recovering in Berlin.

'the west must sanction' 

"For years, Alexey Navalny has advocated sanctions against individuals who play key roles in aiding and abetting Putin and who take the lead in the persecution of those who seek to express their opinions freely and expose corruption in the system. Existing sanctions don't reach enough of the right people. The West must sanction the decision-makers who have made it a national policy to rig elections, steal from the budget, and poison. It must also sanction the people who hold their money. Anything less will fail to make the regime change its behaviour," an excerpt from the letter read. 

Navalny was, on January 17, detained at the Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport following his return from German capital Berlin. Navalny, President’s Vladimir’s top critic, was undergoing medical treatment after getting what German authorities declared as poisoning with a Russian nerve agent of Novichok Group. In addendum to the list of Putin’s allies, the letter also called on Biden to pressurise Putin's government to release Navalny from detention.

Read: Alexei Navalny's Wife Detained By Russian Police At Moscow Protest

Read: Over 5,000 Arrested At Pro-Navalny Protests Across Russia