31/10/24 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 31 October, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell urged Russia to repeal its oppressive legislation, in particular on criminalising truthful reporting regarding its war of aggression and targeting so-called ‘foreign agents’ and ‘undesirable organisations’, “which are merely tools to suppress civil society and independent voices”. According to the Memorial project, there are more than 750 political prisoners in Russia, “people who risk their lives for the freedom of others and for the very values that those in the democratic world would take for granted”, according to Mr Borrell. He recalled that in a healthy democracy, political activists, human rights defenders, civil society organisations, journalists, historians or scientists should never be imprisoned, calling for their release. (CG)