Navalny

Submitted by: 11 members
Mover: Christine Jardine MP.
Summation: David Chalmers.

Conference notes that:

1. Alexei Navalny, the leader of democratic opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia, was killed on 16 February 2024.
2. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has said that Navalny was 'tortured, starved, cut off and killed by Putin'.
3. Navalny had been serving a sentence at an Arctic penal colony, after being arrested upon his return to Russia in January 2021, having previously spent months recovering in Germany following a Novichok assassination attempt.
4. Other democratic activists imprisoned in Russia include Vladimir Kara-Murza, British-Russian dual national and member of our sister party Yabloko; there is now a real risk that he is also killed.

Conference believes that:

1. Navalny's tragic death, at the hands of Putin, cannot and will not stifle the democratic ideals that he fought for.
2. Navalny cast a light on the corruption of Putin and his cronies.
3. Following Navalny's death, the UK Government did sanction some individuals operating the Arctic penal colony, but they have failed to sanction the entirety of the 'Navalny List'.
4. Navalny's opposition to Putin is embodied in the brave resistance of the Ukrainians.
5. We must be emboldened to stand with Ukraine, even as US support wavers, and help them resist Vladimir Putin's forces and liberate their territory.
6. The UK must do all it can to secure the release of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Conference accordingly calls on the UK Government to:

1. Sanction the rest of the Navalny List.
2. Make it a diplomatic priority to secure the release of Vladimir Kara-Murza.
3. Support Vladimir Kara-Murza and all other British dual nationals in similar situations by enshrining in law a right for British dual nationals who have been politically detained to access UK consular services.
4. Stand with Ukraine as the country resists Putin's invasion, by:
   1. Beginning the seizure of frozen Russian assets in the UK, with proceeds repurposed to finance support for Ukraine.
   2. Immediately repurposing the interest accrued on frozen Russian assets for the good of Ukraine, following the plan set out by Belgium.
5. Take steps to tackle economic crime, including flows of money from Putin's cronies, by:
   1. Publishing the long overdue review of 'golden visas', the Tier 1 (Investor) visa scheme.
   2. Close loopholes in economic crime legislation.
   3. Properly fund the National Crime Agency, so that they can pursue Russian economic crime in this country.

Applicability: Federal.