The Canadian government has imposed new sanctions on Russia in response to “gross and systematic violations of human rights” in the country.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said that the measures would target nine Russian officials under the ‘Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations’ and that they served to highlight the “shrinking space for civil society and independent voices” in Russia. The targeted individuals will immediately be subjected to an asset freeze and will also no longer be able to enter Canada.
“The sanctions are part of a concerted diplomatic effort to bring pressure on senior figures in Russia’s administration involved in the attempted murder of Alexey Navalny, his subsequent prosecution, and the silencing of Russian citizens who protested his treatment with heavy-handed and often violent methods,” the statement said, adding that the actions were “in line with measures previously taken by the European Union (EU) and the United States (US)”.
Following the announcement of the measures, the Kremlin said that it would respond to the “illegal sanctions.” Russia has consistently dismissed criticisms of its treatment of Navalny as interference in its internal affairs and has insisted that all actions taken in relation to the opposition leader have been in accordance with Russian law. Navalny has been in detention since his return to Russia in January after his poisoning and is now serving a two and a half year prison term over multiple violations of a 2014 suspended sentence for fraud charges. FM Garneau stressed on Wednesday that Canada would “continue to increase pressure on the Russian government to unconditionally release Mr. Navalny and his supporters who have been unlawfully detained” and that Moscow’s human rights violations “will not go unanswered.”
Separately, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, saying that his behaviour demonstrated that he was responsible for “all sorts of terrible things.” In an interview on SiriusXM radio, the PM was quizzed about US President Joe Biden’s remarks about Putin, wherein he called the Russian leader a “killer.” While Trudeau said that he had no information to make such an assertion, he stressed that Putin was not a friend of Canada or Canadians “in any way shape or form” and that he was solely concerned about preserving his own interests, which meant that Ottawa had to be “very much wide-eyed and clear-eyed” on how it approaches its relations with Moscow.
Canada Imposes Sanctions on Russia In Response to “Deteriorating Human Rights Situation”
Ottawa said that the measures served to highlight the “shrinking space for civil society and independent voices” in Russia.
March 25, 2021
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau SOURCE: REUTERS