Germany's Scholz calls on Russia to release Navalny immediately

BERLIN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - German Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday called on the Russian government to immediately release Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, adding that his detention had been illegal.

"In Russia, the role of the state should have been to protect him - not to arrest him and hastily put him on trial," Scholz said, adding that he regarded Navalny as a brave man who was fighting for civil rights and democracy.

"And that's why I demand the immediate release of Mr. Navalny. That's important for the democratic development of Russia," Scholz added. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber, editing by Thomas Escritt)