Coalition calls for sanctions after Russia’s ‘disturbing low’ after Alexei Navalny’s death

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham has urged the Albanese government to impose further sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his officials.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham has urged the Albanese government to impose further sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his officials to hold them accountable for the death of political dissident Alexei Navalny.

He has written to Foreign Minister Penny Wong to say Australia had fallen behind its allies by failing to condemn Moscow’s actions, which marked a “disturbing low”, after the US, Britain and EU responded with new sanctions.

The letter said the Coalition shared the view that the Russian Federation was responsible for the death of Putin’s political opponent last week, calling on Labor to send the “strongest possible message” using powers under the ­Magnitsky-style sanctions regime introduced by the Coalition to freeze assets.

Senator Birmingham invoked Senator Wong’s own warning that a failure to act swiftly sent the message that the government did not take human rights abuses seriously when she called on the Morrison government to introduce sanctions against China following revelations of forced labour in Xinjiang in 2021. “By imposing further Magnitsky-style sanctions, Australia sends a clear and unequivocal message to the Russian government that the inter­national community will not tolerate impunity for gross violations of human rights and the rule of law,” the letter said.

A makeshift memorial for late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Picture: AFP

“As you have stated previously regarding Magnitsky-style sanctions, ‘slowness to act on this sends a regrettable message. That we are not committed. That we don’t take it seriously’.

“While the Coalition has welcomed the limited sanctions the government has imposed on countries since May 2022, in far too many cases Australia continues to lag behind our international partners and allies in using our sanctions regime to hold to account those responsible for human rights abuses.”

US President Joe Biden announced this week he would impose further sanctions on Russia on Friday, prompting the ­Coalition to call on the government to “immediately follow suit and match the sanctions applied by our international partners”.

“These targeted sanctions, which have been instrumental in responding to human rights abuses and corruption around the world, represent an impactful tool for promoting accountability and justice,” the letter said.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said the government would utilise “every strategy at our disposal to uphold human rights, consistent with our values and our interests”.

The Australian government first placed sanctions on Russia after the downing of MH17 over Ukraine, which killed 28 Australians in 2014, with further sanctions introduced in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.

Senator Wong announced in July that the government was imposing sanctions on 35 entities in Russia’s defence, technology and energy sectors and 10 officials including ministers and military personnel who supported the ­“illegal, immoral invasion of Ukraine”.

UK high commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadell re­affirmed that Britain’s support for Ukraine was “unwavering” as the war reaches its two-year milestone. Britain was the first country to impose sanctions after Navalny’s death, freezing the assets of six prison officials at the penal colony where he died.

The EU announced sanctions against some 200 entities and people accused of supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine.