Russia says it will ignore ruling, which it calls a ‘blatant and gross interference’ in its affairs

The European court of human rights has told Russia to free Alexei Navalny, prompting a new standoff between Europe and Moscow over the fate of Vladimir Putin’s staunchest critic.

Russia has said it will ignore the ruling despite a requirement to comply as a member of the Council of Europe, calling the court’s decision “blatant and gross interference in the judicial affairs of a sovereign state”.

This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.