Canadian-US journalist Aaron Mate posted on Twitter a screenshot of a letter stating that human rights organization Amnesty International no longer considers Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny a prisoner of conscience.
In an email in response to the journalist's request, Amnesty said that the reason for Navalny's arrest was "his outspoken criticism" of the Russian authorities, his reports on "top-level corruption in Russia" and "his peaceful activism," adding that it was still calling for Navalny's release, but noted that it could no longer consider the opposition figure a prisoner of conscience.
"However, in light of new information that has emerged recently, Amnesty International is no longer able to consider Aleksei Navalny a prisoner of conscience given the fact that he advocated violence and discrimination and he has not retracted such statements," the rights organization said.