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Disinfo: EU diplomats who participated in the actions knew that they were interfering in Russian affairs

Summary

The Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, our bilateral consular conventions with the countries of the European Union, pre-suppose that diplomats have privileges and immunities. Except for those cases when they interfere in the internal affairs of the host country, and, in its comments, the UN Commission on International Law explained that the most striking example of interference in internal affairs, in a way incompatible with diplomatic immunity, is participation in public events in the host country.

Therefore, diplomats when they go out on the street in this situation, and even under the current decree of the Moscow Mayor’s Office related to the ban on such public events in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, I think, they knew very well that they were not fulfilling their functions under the Vienna Conventions, but interfering in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation.

Disproof

The claim advances a pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the protests in Russia in support of jailed opposition activist Alexei Navalny. and the subsequent expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden by Russia.

None of the three diplomats were "interfering in Russian affairs" or participating in the demonstrations. Their presence at the protests was linked solely to the fulfillment of their diplomatic duties of monitoring protests. According to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, these duties include:

"[a]scertaining by all lawful means conditions and developments in the receiving State, and reporting thereon to the Government of the sending State" (Article 3(d)).

The European Union strongly condemned the decision to expel the European diplomats and rejected the allegations that they conducted activities incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats.

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publication/media

Sputnik Armenia - Russian (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 231
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 15/02/2021
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: Russia
  • Keywords: Diplomacy with Russia

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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February 15, 2021
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Recurrent disinformation message on Alexei Navalny and the Yves Rocher case, claiming that Russia had been condemned for technical issues of procedure in the trial but the ground was correct and that Russia had fulfiled all its international commitments since Alexei Navalny was paid the damages decided by the ECHR.

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