Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree 100%. The Deputy is correct about the European Court of Human Rights granting interim measures in February 2021 on behalf of Mr. Navalny. In January and February of 2021, there were mass detentions and scenes of police violence across Russia during peaceful protests that were linked to Mr. Navalny’s arrest and imprisonment. Other domestic opposition leaders have been arrested and prosecuted on politically motivated charges. Legislation has been introduced to essentially shut down civil society in Russia.

I have noticed in this House and elsewhere that we hear a lot of whataboutery when it comes to Russia and Ukraine.

I have noticed it in the House and elsewhere in the debate. Here is a deeply repressive regime on a par with anything that happened in the past. The Deputy mentioned the Stalinist era. There is no question that Russia is a consolidated authoritarian regime where power is concentrated in the hands of Vladimir Putin. That is articulated in the 2023 study by Freedom House.

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