Russian Foreign Minister warns US and EU about Alexei Navalny

Navalny, a Russian opposition politician backed by the West, hogged international media limelight after he had organised anti-Putin protests

In a stern warning to the United States' and the European Union (EU), the Vladimir Putin government on Thursday said that no one should consider Russian politeness over the issue of Alexei Navalny a sign of weakness.

Navalny, a Russian opposition politician backed by the West, hogged international media limelight af ter he had organised anti-Putin protest demonstrations in Russia. Last year, he was hospitalized af ter being allegedly poisoned with a nerve agent. He has blamed President Vladimir Putin for the incident.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei V. Lavrov at a joint news conference following talks with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and expatriates, Ayman Safadi, lashed out at the West for backing Navalny saying that they were making a big mistake. Lavrov said: "The West presents very specific, one-sided coverage of not only the events linked with Alexei Navalny but also everything that is taking place in Russia. The hysteria caused by his trial is out of proportion." The public, he said, is not told that the regulations for holding demonstrations, rallies and protests are much tougher in the West than in Russia.

The police in the West have the right to curb any assembly that is not authorised or notified of in advance, or, if a notification was submitted, violate the procedures for holding it as agreed with the authorities.