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Moscow suspends rights delegation

Russia’s delegation to Europe’s human rights watchdog said on Wednesday it would suspend its involvement after losing its right to vote.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted on Wednesday to renew sanctions against Russia, which included stripping its voting rights, over the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In response, delegation chief Alexei Pushkov said the Russian delegation was “walking out of the Parliamentary Assembly” and would not participate again until the end of the year.

Mr Pushkov said this could damage dialogue among European parliaments, but insisted that this “doesn’t mean the self-isolation of Russia.”

One of the main sticking points for Russia is the demand to free Ukrainian air force officer Nadezhda Savchenko.

The assembly called on Russia to free her “within 24 hours.”

Ms Savchenko is awaiting trial on charges of involvement in the killing of two ­Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine.

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