Kremlin refuses to release Navalny
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not afraid of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and has no plans to release him because of the West's position, said Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Although the detention of Navalny at passport control in Sheremetyevo aiporty was condemned by the EU and the United States, and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the U.S. State Department demanded the immediate release of the politician, Moscow does not intend to listen to these demands, Peskov said.
"This has to do with the non-compliance with the Russian law by a Russian citizen, it is absolutely an internal matter, and we will not allow anyone to interfere in it," Peskov said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Peskov added that Russia remains interested "in good relations, which are in no way influenced by one individual citizen - Navalny"
"We know that the FSIN (The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service) had and still has issues with Navalny. Certain rules were violated. Since he is a citizen of the Russian Federation, the presence of claims against him, non-compliance with legal rules, has nothing to do with the president of the Russian Federation and it can not be associated with the president," Peskov said.
On Monday, the court placed Navalny in custody for 30 days.
If the FSIN claim is granted, Navalny could be jailed for 2.5 years, said Vadim Kobzoyev, the politician's lawyer. This is an unserved sentence minus the time spent under house arrest during the investigation.