Russian opposition leader Alexander Navalny's detention by police upon his return to Moscow is "a very serious matter" that worries Italy, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio tweeted late on Sunday, urging the dissident's release.
"Navalny's arrest upon his arrival in Russia is a very serious matter and worries us. We ask for his immediate release. And we expect that his rights will be respected," read the tweet.
Navalny appeared in court on Monday after he was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday. Navalny's arrest came less than an hour after he flew in from Germany, where he had been recovering from poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok that he says was ordered by Russia's president Vladimir Putin.
The dissident's arrest sparked criticism from western governments, including the outgoing administration of US president Donald Trump, the European Union, human rights groups and prominent activists including whistleblower Edward Snowden.
