23/06/2020 (Agence Europe) – “The sanitary restrictions introduced to fight the Covid-19 pandemic must not be used to unduly limit human rights and freedoms”, said Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, after the arrest of more than 100 people yesterday in Moscow and St Petersburg. She calls on the Russian authorities to review the legislation and practices governing freedom of assembly and expression and warns that she will follow developments closely. Dunja Mijatović is also looking forward to continuing her contacts with the Russian authorities during her visit to the country, scheduled before the end of the year. No such visit was able to be organised after the sanctions imposed by the Parliamentary Assembly in 2014, after the annexation of the Crimea. Delayed by the pandemic, this will be of particular importance. (VL)