- Title: Alexei Navalny: Putin's vocal opponent tipped for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize
- Date: 28th September 2021
- Summary: Navalny was the victim of a murder attempt with the nerve agent Novichok, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on September 2, adding that Russia must answer "difficult questions" related to the attack against President Vladimir Putin's critic. BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - SEPTEMBER 2, 2020) (CORONAPOOL) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL AT NEWS CONFERENCE AT CHANCELLERY (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "Alexei Navalny was the victim of an attack with a chemical nerve agent of the Novichok group. This poison could be identified unequivocally in tests. So it's clear that Alexei Navalny is the victim of a crime. He was supposed to be silenced and I, together with the entire German government condemn this in the strongest possible terms."
- Embargoed: 12th October 2021 10:27
- Keywords: 2021 Nobel Prize Russia Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny Vladimir Putin coma jail term poisoned protests
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA00QEWXU1JB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: CONTAINS PROFANITY
Imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is among the nominees for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
Navalny, 45, a strong and vocal opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was nominated for his “efforts for a peaceful democratisation of Russia†by Norwegian former minister Ola Elvestuen.
He was poisoned in August 2020 by what Western nations said was a nerve agent and is serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for parole violations he calls trumped up.
The EU has imposed sanctions on Russian officials over Navalny's poisoning and imprisonment.
Moscow denies any wrongdoing and accuses the EU of meddling in its domestic affairs.
Navalny is also nominated for the 2021 European Parliament's annual human rights prize.
This year's Nobel Prizes, awarded for achievements in medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics, will be announced from October 4 to 11.
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