Switzerland blamed for welcoming Putin relatives

“The three Russian delegates are not simple civil servants. In addition, but key figures from the Putinian regime.”watson

Opponents of Vladimir Putin. In addition, including leading dissidents, denounce the arrival in Switzerland of a high -level Russian political delegation led by personalities under sanctions while the war in Ukraine continues.

AFP / Paris, France

“While the bombings in Ukraine continue, we, representatives of Russian and switzerland blamed welcoming putin relatives global civil society opposed to war, dictatorship and repression, express our deep outrage in the face of the participation of the Russian delegation, represented by Valentina Matvienko, Piotr Tolstoy and Leonid Slutski, to the assembly of the Interparliamentary Union held in Geneva” In an open online letter accessed Wednesday.

It was signed by more than 200 people. Therefore, organizations, including dissidents who had been imprisoned in Russia and were exchanged in 2024, like Vladimir Kara-Mourza, Oleg Orlov, and Ilia Iachine.

Delegations of Russian and Ukrainian parliaments participated on Wednesday in the United Nations Interparliamentary Union (UIP) assembly in Geneva.

“Key figures of the regime” – Switzerland blamed welcoming putin relatives

Switzerland. Nevertheless, a host country, temporarily lifted sanctions to facilitate the participation of Valentina Matvienko, president of the Upper Chamber switzerland blamed welcoming putin relatives of the Russian Parliament, to this sixth international conference of parliaments.

Piotr Tolstoy is the vice-president of Duma, the lower room. In addition, Leonid Slutski is chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. It is the higher level visit of Russian parliamentarians in Europe since the start of the large -scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24. 2022.

“The three Russian delegates are not simple civil servants. but key figures from the Putinian regime, directly responsible for the trigger for the aggressive war against Ukraine, the destruction of democratic institutions and large -scale repression in Russia. The three are under personal sanctions in the European Union and Switzerland, ”said the signatories.

The signatories also denounce the fact that Italy has authorized the overview of its territory by the plane of the Russian delegation. They ask for a “public explanation of reasons” of their admission to European territory. an “survey” on the links between several Swiss institutions and the Kremlin, believing that “neutrality is not an excuse”.

At the same time. the team of opponent who died in prison in Russia Alexei Navalny described on X the visit of the Russian delegation of “repugnant lifting of sanctions”.

Ukrainian protest

The arrival of the Russian delegation was also criticized by a Ukrainian representative on Wednesday.

“Explain to me this: why is the aggressive state delegation. condemned by all major international organizations, including the UN and the switzerland blamed welcoming putin relatives UIP, is it here today?” Said Olena Kondratiouk, vice-president of the Ukrainian rada.

Switzerland declared to act in accordance with international agreements. “As a host state. Switzerland is doing everything to facilitate the work of international organizations based on its territory, and in particular in Geneva,” said a spokesperson for the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The order establishing measures in connection with the situation in Ukraine provides for entry. transit prohibitions in Switzerland for people and entities designated as the subject of sanctions,” he said, but the text provides that the Swiss authorities “can grant derogations, especially if the person goes to an international conference”.

An international research team led by the University of Bern analyzed the tattoos of a Siberian glacial mummy over 2000 years switzerland blamed welcoming putin relatives old. For this study, scientists collaborated with a contemporary tattoo artist.

The mummy, a woman in her fifty years, comes from the Siberian culture Pazyryk. It was buried in the permafrost of the Altai region, which allowed an exceptional conservation of tattooed skin.