Russia: Navalny's enforced disappearance raises grave concerns - UN expert

GENEVA (18 December 2023) – A UN expert raised her concerns with the Russian authorities on Friday about the enforced disappearance of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, whose whereabouts and wellbeing have been unknown for over 10 days, including his failure to appear at a scheduled court hearing last Friday.

“I am greatly concerned that the Russian authorities will not disclose Mr. Navalny’s whereabouts and wellbeing for such a prolonged period of time which amounts to enforced disappearance,” said Mariana Katzarova, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation.

“I have learned that the court hearing on the violations of Mr. Navalny's human rights in detention, scheduled for Friday, did not take place. Mr. Navalny’s lawyers, who have been prevented from meeting him since 6 December, were told by the court that their client is no longer held in the Vladimir region, without providing any further details,” Katzarova said.

The expert cited concerns about Navalny’s persistent ill-treatment in detention and lack of access to adequate medical care, since 17 January 2021, which has resulted in further harm to his health and great risks to his life.

Navalny’s family and lawyers have sent letters to all penal colonies, trying to identify his whereabouts. In response, they have received initial information that he might be at an Omsk penal colony, but that information was later rejected.

He was being prepared to be transferred to a harsher regime penal colony after he was sentenced on 4 August 2023 to an additional 19 years on baseless “extremism” charges, the Special Rapporteur said, warning that detainees are most vulnerable during transportation, carrying high risks of grave human rights violations. The unrelenting criminal persecution of Mr. Navalny has been widely condemned internationally, indicating blatant abuse of the court system for political purposes.

Furthermore, on 13 October 2023, three of Mr. Navalny’s lawyers were arrested on charges of “extremism” and are now themselves facing the risk of lengthy imprisonment. With the arrest of his lawyers, Russian authorities have attempted to deprive Mr. Navalny of contact and communication beyond the prison confines, as well as to strip him of his right to defence.  This is part of a pattern of persistent persecution of human rights lawyers in the Russian Federation who represent dissident voices, and the dangerous use of “extremism” charges in politically-motivated cases. 

“I call on Russian authorities to abide by their international human rights obligations. The term “extremism” has no basis in international law, and when it triggers criminal liability it constitutes a violation of human rights, which must be condemned,” the UN expert said.

“Mr. Navalny and all those arbitrarily detained should be released immediately and provided remedies and reparations for all the harm suffered, in line with international human rights obligations,” the Special Rapporteur said.

ENDS

The expert: Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation.

Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organisation. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

UN Hman Rights, country page – Russian Federation