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Canadian ambassador was issued demarche over Kara-Murza verdict remarks, says Russian MFA

The ministry said such moves constitute direct interference in Russia’s internal affairs

MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Russia has issued a demarche to Canadian ambassador in Moscow Alison LeClaire over her public comments in relation to the verdict in the Vladimir Kara-Murza (designated as a foreign agent in Russia) case, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

"The head of the Canadian diplomatic mission in Moscow, Alison LeClaire, was summoned to the Russian MFA on April 18 for a demarche in connection with her unacceptable public comments about the sentence of Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was convicted of high treason and spreading knowingly false information about the Russian army," the ministry said.

The ministry said such moves constitute direct interference in Russia’s internal affairs.

The ministry warned the Canadian ambassador of imminent negative consequences, given "the confrontational course of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s regime on bilateral relations and abuse of diplomatic status by the staff of the Canadian embassy in Moscow."

On Monday, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed the statements by the UK, US and Canadian ambassadors, which they made following the sentencing of Kara-Murza (designated as a foreign agent) as direct meddling in Russia’s internal affairs. The diplomat said Moscow regarded UK Ambassador Deborah Bronnert’s remarks, which she made following the sentencing of Kara-Murza, as unacceptable and warned London against politicizing international human rights issues. Zakharova also stated that the demands of the US and Canadian ambassadors to free Kara-Murza were "the height of cynicism" at a time when their home countries were shamelessly violating human rights and persecuting dissenters.