Canada and allies discuss joint response to Russia's imprisonment of Kremlin critic Navalny

Canada joined an international conference call this morning to discuss the plight of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny andtalk about next stepsin the wake of Russia'smove to expelEuropean Uniondiplomats last week.

The 44-year-oldanti-corruption investigator one of RussianPresident Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics was arrested in mid-January after returning from Germany, where he'd spent five months recovering from nerve agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian authorities have denied the accusation.

A Moscow court ruled last weekthat, while in Germany, Navalny violated the probation terms of his suspended sentence for a 2014 money-laundering conviction and ordered him to serve two years and eight months in prison.

The ruling has prompted international scorn.

"Canada condemns the decision by Russia to extend the detention of Alexei Navalny. Russian authorities must immediately release him. His ongoing persecution, in light of the failure to adequately investigate his poisoning, underscores the political motivations behind his imprisonment," reads a statement issued byGlobal Affairs Canada today.

"We also call on Russia to bring to justice those responsible for crimes against Mr. Navalny and the use of chemical weapons."

That statement followed a video call this morning between representatives ofthe European Union, Britain, the United States, Canada and Ukraine to discuss a possible joint response to Navalny's jailing last week. Canada was represented on the call by Ailish Campbell, theambassador-designate to the European Union.

The representatives also discussedRussia's decisionFriday to expel diplomats from Sweden, Poland and Germany after accusing them of attending a rally in support of Navalny.

Those three European countries expelled three Russian diplomats in a coordinated act ofretaliation today.

EU foreign policy chief hints at sanctions

Today'smeeting was one of the first forums for allied nations to consider ajoint response to Navalny's jailing last week and to Friday's expulsions which took place while the EU's top diplomat was visiting Moscow.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a blog post late Sunday that the expulsions andthe denial of his request to visit Navalnyconfirmedhis view that "Europe and Russia are drifting apart."

"Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," wrote Borrell.

"It will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions."

Last week, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Romania and the Czech Republic pushed for fresh sanctions on Russia.

Germany, Italy and France have suggested giving the Kremlin more time to reconsider its decision to imprisonNavalny.

Last week, Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chongurged the federal government to invoke sanctions under Canada's so-called Magnitskylaw, which allows the government to impose financial and other restrictions on foreign nationals responsible for, or complicit in, violating internationally recognized human rights.

"For weeks, tens of thousands of Russians have been engaged in peaceful, nationwide protests in support of Alexei Navalny. At least 5,000 people have been detained, including dozens of journalists; many have been beaten and abused," said Chong in a mediastatement Friday.

"Conservatives are calling on the Liberal government to apply Magnitsky sanctions in coordination with our partners and allies, on Russian officials involved in these human rights violationsthat have been going on for too long."

Magnitsky sanctions arenamed after Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky, who was tortured and died in a Moscow prison after documenting fraud in Russia.