Alexei Navalny died on February 16 of unknown cause.
Ottawa:
Canada on Sunday announced new sanctions against six Russian officials following the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny at an Arctic prison colony last month.
A statement from Canada’s foreign ministry said the sanctions target “senior officials and senior employees of Russia’s prosecutorial, judicial and correctional services.”
The six individuals “were involved in the violation of Mr. Navalny’s human rights, his brutal punishment and ultimately his death,” the statement said.
“Canada, along with our partners, will continue to pressure the Russian government to conduct a full and transparent investigation into Mr. Navalny’s death,” Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement.
“The increased pressure on the Russian government sends a clear signal: human rights must be unequivocally respected.”
The Canadian government has summoned the Russian ambassador to “demand a full and transparent investigation into his death” following the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critic Alexei Navalny.
Navalny died of unknown causes on February 16 in an Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence for “extremism” charges. He is 47 years old.
His family and allies have accused the Kremlin of ordering his killing, and Western leaders said Putin was “responsible” for his death.
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