URGENT: Call on President Putin to free Aleksei Navalny and end the crackdown on peaceful dissent. | View in browser.

Dear John,

On Saturday, January 23rd, tens of thousands of people in Moscow and cities across Russia rallied against the politically motivated detention of prominent opposition activist Aleksei Navalny. The response was ferocious. Thousands of protesters were arrested and at least 1,300 detained. 

These events followed Aleksei's January 17th arrest upon his arrival to Moscow after his five months of treatment and recovery in Germany. He had been poisoned by Novichok nerve agent in August. 

Like many others in Russia, Aleksei has been targeted for his peaceful political activism and for exercising his right to freedom of expression.  

Ahead of Sunday’s anticipated protests in Russia, the world is watching. Amnesty International is on the ground – and we need your voice to send a strong message to Russian authorities. 

Call on President Vladimir Putin to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Aleksei Navalny, and to end the intimidation and persecution of all critics of the Russian authorities.

Aleksei Navalny is one of the most prominent critics of the Russian authorities. In 2011, founded the Anti-Corruption Foundation (known as FBK in Russian). He has conducted investigations and published reports alleging and documenting corruption among Russia’s senior officials, prominent politicians and business people.  

For years, he and many FBK employees and associates have been targeted for their peaceful work, facing reprisals like fabricated criminal and administrative charges, police raids and house searches, physical violence and selective army conscription. Aleksei has been arrested numerous times and Amnesty International has recognised him as a prisoner of conscience on multiple occasions. 

Amnesty supporters have called for Aleksei Navalny’s freedom before. Will you do it now? Please sign the petition calling for his release and an end to the persecution of all critics of the Russian authorities.  

The crackdown on dissent in Russia has become increasingly brutal – and desperate – even compared to vicious reprisals in recent years. The authorities appear shamelessly bent on violating human rights by silencing their critics. 

Amnesty International monitors witnessed first-hand the punishing police response to the overwhelmingly peaceful protesters in Moscow. People were beaten with batons and some were even pushed down stairs. 

On Wednesday, police carried out at least 18 raids at homes and offices of leading opposition activists, journalists and government critics in Moscow, including Aleksei Nalvalny’s home, FBK office and studio of Navalny Live, his popular YouTube channel. 

We will continue to monitor events on the ground – and I hope you will add your voice to the growing global call for Aleksei Navalny’s freedom and for all Russian citizens to be able to exercise their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. 
 
Yours in solidarity,  

Hilary Homes 
Crisis & Tactical Campaigner 
Amnesty International Canada 

 
P.S. This wave of reprisals by Russian authorities is a cowardly attempt to prevent further planned peaceful protests against the prosecution of prisoner of conscience Aleksei Navalny, and the allegations of top-level corruption in Russia which he unearthed. Please take a moment to join the global call for his immediate release and an end to the crackdown.