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WORLD NEWS Monday 18 January 2021
Kremlin critic Navalny detained after landing in Moscow

By MSTYSLAV CHERNOV removed from Moscow-
and JIM HEINTZ bound trains or been pre-
Associated Press vented from boarding
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian flights late Saturday and
opposition leader Alexei early Sunday, including the
Navalny was arrested Sun- coordinator of his staff for
day at a Moscow airport as the region of Russia’s sec-
he tried to enter the coun- ond-largest city.
try from Germany, where Navalny fell into a coma
he had spent five months while aboard a domestic
recovering from nerve flight from Siberia to Mos-
agent poisoning that he cow on Aug. 20. He was
blames on the Kremlin. transferred from a hospital
Navalny’s detention at in Siberia to a Berlin hospital
passport control in Mos- two days later.
cow’s Sheremetyevo air- Labs in Germany, France
port was widely expected and Sweden, and tests
because Russia’s prisons by the Organization for
service said he had vio- the Prohibition of Chemi-
lated parole terms from a cal Weapons, established
suspended sentence on a that he was exposed to a
2014 embezzlement con- Soviet-era Novichok nerve
viction. agent.
The prisons service said he Alexei Navalny sits on the plane prior to a flight to Moscow, at the Airport Berlin Brandenburg (BER) Russian authorities insist-
would be held in custody in Schoenefeld, near Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. Associated Press ed that the doctors who
until a court rules on his treated Navalny in Siberia
case. No date for a court dates. Navalny decided to “Mr. Navalny should be im- land, though it was divert- before he was airlifted to
appearance was imme- leave Berlin of his own free mediately released, and ed to Sheremetyevo with- Germany found no traces
diately announced. The will and wasn’t under any the perpetrators of the out explanation. of poison and have chal-
service earlier said that it apparent pressure to leave outrageous attack on his The OVD-Info organization lenged German officials
would seek to have Naval- from Germany. life must be held account- that monitors political ar- to provide proof of his poi-
ny serve his 3 1/2-year sen- “This is a real act of bravery able,” Jake Sullivan said in rests said at least 53 people soning. Russia refused to
tence behind bars. for Alexei Navalny to return a tweet. were arrested, including open a full-fledged crimi-
Navalny, 44, who is Presi- to Russia, given that gov- Putin’s spokesman, Dmi- Navalny supporters and nal inquiry, citing a lack of
dent Vladimir Putin’s most ernment agents already try Peskov, responded to a journalists, at Vnukovo, evidence that Navalny was
prominent and determined tried to kill him once,” Hu- question about the arrest where where the arrivals poisoned.
foe, brushed off concerns man Rights Watch Execu- by saying “Was he arrested hall had been blocked off Last month, Navalny re-
about arrest as he boarded tive Director Kenneth Roth in Germany? I’m not up to and prisoner transport ve- leased the recording of a
the plane in Berlin. tweeted. “But he under- date,” according to the hicles were parked outside. phone call he said he made
“It’s impossible. I’m an inno- standably wants to be online news site Podyom. There were at least three to a man he described as
cent man,” he said. part of the pro-democracy Peskov, like Putin, is noted detentions at Sheremetye- an alleged member of a
The arrest raises tensions in movement in Russia, not a for avoiding saying Naval- vo, it said. group of officers of the Fed-
Russia as it approaches na- dissident in exile.” ny’s name. The independent newspa- eral Security Service, or FSB,
tional parliament elections U.S. President-elect Joe Navalny has sizable popu- per Novaya Gazeta and who purportedly poisoned
this year, in which Naval- Biden’s pick for national larity in Moscow. Many sup- opposition social media him in August and then
ny’s organization is expect- security adviser called on porters on Sunday went reported Sunday that sev- tried to cover it up. The FSB
ed to be active in trying to Russian authorities to free to Vnukovo airport where eral Navalny supporters in dismissed the recording as
defeat pro-Kremlin candi- Navalny. his flight was scheduled to St. Petersburg had been fake.q

Official: Gunmen kill two women judges in Afghan capital

By TAMEEM AKHGAR but he did not identify them tions that killed 50 people,
Associated Press by name. most of them students.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) No one claimed responsi- IS has also claimed respon-
— Gunmen fired on a car bility for the attack and Tal- sibility for rocket attacks in
in northern Kabul on Sun- iban spokesman Zabihullah December targeting the
day, killing two women Mujahid said the insurgent major U.S. base in Afghani-
judges who worked for group wasn’t responsible. stan. There were no casual-
Afghanistan’s high court The Afghan government ties.
and wounding the driver, a has repeatedly blamed the The Taliban and the Af-
court official said. It was the Taliban for targeted killings ghan government earlier
latest attack in the Afghan in recent months and the this month resumed peace
capital during peace talks insurgent group accuses talks in Qatar.
between Taliban and Af- the government of stag- Negotiations were off to a
ghan government officials ing the killings to spoil the slow start as the insurgent
in Qatar. peace process. group continues attacks on
Supreme Court of Afghani- The Islamic State group has Afghan government forces
stan spokesman Ahmad claimed responsibility for while keeping their prom-
Fahim Qawim, said the multiple attacks in the capi- ise not to attack U.S. and An Afghan man sweeps blood after Gunmen fired in Kabul,
women were judges who tal in recent months, includ- NATO troops.q Afghanistan, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021.
worked for the high court ing on educational institu- Associated Press