Russia should respond to London's new anti-Russian sanctions and include top UK officials in its sanctions list, Senator Oleg Morozov said.
On Monday, Britain published a list of individuals and organizations it accuses of human rights violations. The list includes 25 Russians who London believes were involved in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009, as well as 20 Saudi residents who are suspected of involvement in the murder of opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The list also includes two generals from Myanmar and two North Korean structures accused of torture, murder and the use of prisoner labor. All those involved in the list are banned from entering the UK, and the country's authorities will freeze any of their assets if they are found in the United Kingdom.
"The so-called violations of human rights are a political bludgeon that is used depending on the political environment. It is obvious that the Magnitsky case is not on this list, especially since it did not arise yesterday. Therefore, the response to political actions should be the same. High-ranking UK officials should be included in our sanctions list," Morozov said.
As for the citizens of Saudi Arabia included in the sanctions list, the Senator is convinced that they went "as a side dish". "You can eat, or you can refuse. That is, it was added personally for us to observe external decency," he said.
In turn, the head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky told reporters that London had taken another step towards the degradation of Russian-British relations by imposing sanctions against Russian citizens, and Moscow would respond in a balanced and adequate manner.
"In general, we can say that London has taken another step towards the degradation of Russian-British relations. After the political "Scam of the century" in the Skripal case, the introduction of the Magnitsky sanctions only exacerbates the negative background in the mutual dialogue, " Slutsky said.
According to him, any restrictions taken to circumvent the UN are anachronistic, especially in the context of the still-ongoing pandemic. The Deputy added that no state had swerved from its course just because the US or the UK were waving a "sanctions club". In the case of Russia, this has definitely never worked and will not work, especially since references to human rights violations and the introduction of any restrictions because of this are absolutely illegal, he said.
"Naturally, as is customary in diplomatic practice, Moscow reserves the right to retaliate. I have no doubt that the decision will be made in a balanced, adequate and timely manner," concluded Slutsky.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from RIA Novosti