The passing of Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition leader and vocal fighter against corruption in Russia, has been reported as he was imprisoned in a northern camp, serving a lengthy 19-year sentence for charges of extremism.
According to the Federal Prison Service, Navalny collapsed after taking a walk on Friday. Despite attempts by an ambulance to revive him, he ultimately succumbed to his condition.
The late 47-year-old activist had been the victim of multiple assassination attempts, including a nerve agent poisoning in 2020 that left him in a coma. After recovering in Germany, he bravely returned to Moscow and was immediately arrested in January 2021.
According to his supporters and some human rights organisations, he was not given proper medical attention while in prison, resulting in back pain, numbness, and vision issues. Furthermore, they claim he faced ongoing harassment and restrictions from prison officials, who closely monitored his actions and limited his resources such as books, correspondence and legal assistance.
In December, Alexei Navalny was relocated from his previous confinement in a prison located in the Vladimir region of central Russia to a “special regime” penal colony situated above the Arctic Circle. This new facility is known as the highest security level prison in Russia, reflecting the increased measures taken to restrict Navalny’s movement and activities.
Prior to his detainment, he actively challenged governmental corruption, orchestrated significant demonstrations against the Kremlin, and pursued candidacy for public office. However, he was subsequently sentenced to three terms in prison, all of which he deemed politically motivated and vehemently refuted.
In addition, Alexei Navalny grappled with numerous legal battles, one being a defamation case involving a World War II soldier and another involving allegations of embezzlement from his own charitable organization.
Despite having multiple accusations thrown his way, he maintained his innocence and claimed the charges were orchestrated to tarnish his reputation and block his potential candidacy in upcoming elections.
His death triggered a wave of grief and anger among his followers and admirers, who hailed him as a hero and a martyr for the cause of democracy and justice in Russia.
It has also drawn strong reactions from the international community, which condemned the Russian authorities for their treatment of Alexei Navalny and called for accountability and sanctions.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about his death during the Munich Security Conference saying,
“If confirmed this would be a further sign of Putin‘s brutality….Whatever story they tell, let us be clear, Russia is responsible.”
Other world leaders, such as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, also expressed their condolences and condemnation, and called for justice for Alexei Navalny.
