The European Union has sanctioned dozens of Russian officials and two correctional colonies over the death last month in prison of opposition politician and outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny.
"Navalny’s slow killing by the Kremlin regime is a stark reminder of its utter disregard for human life. Today’s sanctions demonstrate our determination to hold Russia’s political leadership and authorities to account for the continuing violation of the human rights in Russia," the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on March 22.
"At the same time, we know that Putin is not Russia, and Russia is not Putin. We will continue supporting Russia’s civil society and independent voices," he added.
SEE ALSO: 'Polar Wolf': The Harsh Prison Where Navalny Was Sent And How His Team Found HimCorrectional colonies Polar Wolf in Russia's Arctic town of Kharp -- where Navalny was being held when he died on February 16 while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism and other charges widely seen as politically motivated -- and the IK-6 in the Vladimir region, as well as 33 guards of the two penitentiaries were added to the EU sanctions list.
The circumstances of his death have not been clarified, but many Western nations have said that President Vladimir Putin and Russian authorities bear responsibility. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement or responsibility for Navalny's death.
Among the Russian officials sanctioned by the EU are Deputy Justice Minister Vsevolod Vukolov; the deputy chief of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN), Valery Boyarinev; the chief of the Moscow City Penitentiary Service, Sergei Moroz; and Governor Dmitry Artyukhov of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region.
The warden of the IK-6 prison, Vadim Kalinin, and his deputies; Moscow City Court Judge Andrei Suvorov, who sentenced Navalny; and the Moscow City Court Chairman Mikhail Paityn were also sanctioned by the 27-nation bloc.
Judges Yevgeny Nikolayev and Natalya Dudar were also added to the EU sanctions list for issuing "a number of rulings against political opponents including Mr. Navalny, thereby contributing to political repression in Russia."
"The EU is deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Russia. Russia’s illegal, unjustified, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has further accelerated internal repression in the country, drastically limiting the freedom of opinion and expression, as well as media freedom, and introducing war censorship," the EU statement said, urging Russian authorities "to immediately and unconditionally release all those imprisoned for politically motivated charges."