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AAP
AAP
Andrew Brown

'We stand with you': Russia campaigner meets leaders

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has praised Yulia Navalnaya's courage and determination. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

Australia has promised the wife of Russia's late opposition leader and critic of Vladimir Putin his death will not be forgotten.

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday at Parliament House.

The anti-corruption campaigner died in 2024, months after being sent to a prison in Siberia.

Senator Wong praised Ms Navalnaya's courage and determination in calling for democracy in Russia following her husband's death.

Penny Wong, Anthony Albanese and Yulia Navalnaya
Australia's leaders say they stand with Yulia Navalnaya in her fight for human rights and democracy. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

"You've had to deal with a lot of loss. Alexei was a champion of democracy and human rights and the Australian government holds (Russian President Vladimir) Putin personally responsible for his death," she said during the meeting.

"We stand with you when we fight for human rights and democracy."

Ms Navalnaya is on the board of the International Anti-Corruption Foundation, set up to tell "the truth about Russian criminal power" and thanked Australia for its support.

"Russia is not Putin. We'll do everything so that Russia will become a free, normal democratic country," she told reporters in Canberra during the meeting.

The Russian activist also held talks with Opposition Leader Sussan Ley during her visit to Canberra.

Sussan Ley and Yulia Navalnaya
Russian democracy campaigner Yulia Navalnaya also held talks with Sussan Ley. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Australia has imposed new, targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against 14 individuals it says are responsible for silencing political expression in Russia and enabling the "illegal and immoral" invasion of Ukraine.

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

The government has reiterated its call for Russia to comply with its international human rights obligations.

The announcement builds on the government's current sanctions against Russia, including three packages since 2022 targeting individuals involved in the poisoning, mistreatment and death of Mr Navalny.

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