Washington-Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Michael McCaul, the Committee’s Ranking Member, today made the following statement regarding the ongoing situation in Moscow.
“We are deeply disturbed by the attack against outspoken Putin critic and political opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, as well as the reports that he was taken back to prison while still in need of medical attention and against the recommendation of his doctors. We are equally disturbed by the arrests of as many as 1,500 opposition protesters from this past weekend.
“This type of behavior by Russian police and by Putin serves as a disturbing reminder of the dangers of speaking out against the regime in Russia. We stand with the courageous opposition leaders, protesters, and activists in Russia. We stand with Russian civil society and the citizens and leaders who fight every day for an open and free Russia - one where police protect the right to protest, not arrest thousands who do so at the direction of the country’s leaders. We should defend the rights to freedom of speech, expression, assembly, the right to vote, and all human and democratic rights whenever and wherever they come under attack.".
