By Hajer M'tiri
STRASBOURG, France
The European Union foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has condemned the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and called on Russia to stop harassing opposition in the country.
Her comments on Wednesday came a day ahead of a European Parliament vote on separate resolutions relating to the murder of Nemtsov and the state of democracy in Russia.
Speaking at the European Parliament, Mogherini expressed her "sadness and indignation" over the murder of opposition leader and former deputy prime minister Nemtsov, who was shot dead in Moscow on Feb. 27, describing him as a "strong advocate of an open Russia".
Mogherini said: "The murder of Nemtsov reminds us of other murders in Russia ... all those who have been killed or arrested must be remembered ... opposition parties and media in Russia must be allowed to play a role."
Torture claim
"Russia must stop the hatred of diversity of opinion, the Russian authorities have to stop this climate of defiance."
The EU leader called on Moscow to open a full transparent investigation into the killing, adding: "We want an open and democratic Russia."
Five suspects have been detained over the killing of Nemtsov.
Two of them, Zaur Dadayev and Shagid Gubashev, who both originate from Chechnya, were charged with his killing on Sunday.
Andrei Babushkin, a member of Russia's Human Rights Council, who visited the suspects on Wednesday, suggested that Dadayev and two others suspects may have been tortured.
