German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said Berlin demanded the release of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, speaking at a news conference in Berlin on Monday.
It comes as a Moscow court has been looking behind closed doors into requests by state prosecutors to ban the activist's regional groups as well as his main organisation - the Anti-Corruption Fund.
"Using anti-terror laws against political opponents is in no way in line with the rule of law," said Seibert.
Earlier on Monday, state prosecutors in Moscow ordered Navalny's regional groups to suspend their activities until the court ruling.
[Correction: Original headline and script had mistakenly stated the court in Moscow banned the Anti-Corruption Fund. It was actually looking into the requests by the prosecutors. The decision is expected to be made within 24 hours.]
German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said Berlin demanded the release of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, speaking at a news conference in Berlin on Monday.
It comes as a Moscow court has been looking behind closed doors into requests by state prosecutors to ban the activist's regional groups as well as his main organisation - the Anti-Corruption Fund.
"Using anti-terror laws against political opponents is in no way in line with the rule of law," said Seibert.
Earlier on Monday, state prosecutors in Moscow ordered Navalny's regional groups to suspend their activities until the court ruling.
[Correction: Original headline and script had mistakenly stated the court in Moscow banned the Anti-Corruption Fund. It was actually looking into the requests by the prosecutors. The decision is expected to be made within 24 hours.]
German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said Berlin demanded the release of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, speaking at a news conference in Berlin on Monday.
It comes as a Moscow court has been looking behind closed doors into requests by state prosecutors to ban the activist's regional groups as well as his main organisation - the Anti-Corruption Fund.
"Using anti-terror laws against political opponents is in no way in line with the rule of law," said Seibert.
Earlier on Monday, state prosecutors in Moscow ordered Navalny's regional groups to suspend their activities until the court ruling.
[Correction: Original headline and script had mistakenly stated the court in Moscow banned the Anti-Corruption Fund. It was actually looking into the requests by the prosecutors. The decision is expected to be made within 24 hours.]