[EGP] EGP Press Release :EU must condemn Russian PoliceBrutality in stronger terms

EUROPEAN GREENS DEMAND THAT EU CONDEMNS IN MUCH STRONGER TERMS RUSSIAN POLICE’s USE OF EXTREME VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTORS

The EGP Spokespersons today demanded that the EU condemns, in much stronger terms than it has done until now, the totally disproportionate and heavy-handed response of Russian Police to demonstrations against President Putin in Moscow and St Petersburg at the weekend (Saturday 14^th and Sunday 15^th April) .

EGP Co-spokesperson ULRIKE LUNACEK said “The EU must take a much stronger stance against police violence we saw in Russia at the weekend than it has done so far. A spokesperson for the European Commission said on Monday 16^th April that they were “very concerned” about the situation but this is far too mild and ineffective a response to such anti-democratic and oppressive behaviour. There can be no justification for the way in which police beat dozens of peaceful protesters with fists and batons and arrested a total of 370 demonstrators on Saturday and Sunday”.

EGP Co-spokesperson PHILIPPE LAMBERTS added “The EU must use the opportunity afforded by next week’s meeting between EU foreign ministers and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Luxembourg to demand that President Putin gives an unconditional apology to those protesters whose democratic rights were violated so brutally in Moscow and St Petersburg. Equally importantly, the Russian government must give assurances to the Russian People and the International Community that the disgraceful scenes will not be repeated. The Protesters who received fines should also have those fines quashed.”

Both spokespersons pointed out that the EGP has been very outspoken in its condemnation of President Putin’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies and that the weekend’s events will only “deepen the resolve of the EGP to defend the democratic rights of all Russians. We will continue to call on the EU to take a much more consistent and vocal stance when it comes to ensuring that Russia lives up to the standards expected of all democracies.” LUNACEK and LAMBERTS concluded.

Graham Burgess

Communications Officer

European Green Party

Tel no: 0032 (0)2 626 0720

Mobile : 00 32 (0)477 902 023

Email : graham.burgess@europeangreens.org