Australia sanctions 14 for repression of civil society in Russia

Australian Foreign Minister Wong has announced sanctions on Russian leaders responsible for repressing rights in Russia. Wong was speaking before a meeting with Yulia Navalnaya, whom she described as a "fearless voice for democracy in Russia."

September 03, 2025 at 08:06

Police detectives and Australian Federal Police outside the Russian consulate building in Sydney. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image via AP) (Photo: Bianca De Marchi)

Sydney (dpa) - The Australian government has imposed travel bans and sanctions on 14 individuals for repressing civil society in Russia and for enabling the invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday.

"The human rights situation in Russia continues to deteriorate with violent crackdowns aimed at suppressing human rights and anti-war advocacy," Wong said in a statement.

"We condemn Russia's intimidation and reprisals against civil society and human rights defenders, and reiterate our call for Russia to comply with its international human rights obligations."

Wong made the announcement ahead of a meeting with Russian opposition figure Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who died while in custody in 2024.

"Ms Navalnaya is a fearless voice for democracy in Russia, continuing her fight at immense personal cost," Wong said.

"Russia failed to undertake an independent and transparent investigation into Mr Navalny's death, and Australia holds [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin and the Russian Government responsible."

Former ministers among listed individuals

The 14 newly listed individuals are either current or former Russian ministers, or have been deemed by the Australian government to have performed activities of "economic or strategic significance to Russia."

Wong said they were also responsible for "enabling the illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine."

Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony in the Arctic Circle in February 2024 while serving a 19-year sentence on what he said were politically motivated charges. Though the circumstances of his death have not been clarified, Navalny's family and allies, as well as some Western leaders, have blamed Putin.

The prominent activist and Putin critic survived a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020 but was arrested on his return to Russia in January 2021 and subjected to a series of trials.