LONDON — Alexei Navalny, the veteran Russian opposition politician and critic of Vladimir Putin — is commonly thought of one a vocal and visible thorn in the leg of the Russian authorities — has died in jail on the age of 47, in line with the jail service.
“On 16.02.2024, in correctional colony no. three, convict Navalny AA felt dangerous after a stroll, nearly instantly misplaced consciousness. The medical workers of the establishment arrived instantly and the ambulance staff was referred to as. All obligatory measures for resuscitation have been taken. carried out, which didn’t give optimistic outcomes. The medical doctors of the emergency service have confirmed the demise of the convict”, the announcement states.
Navalny's dad and mom and lawyer can be on the penal colony the place he was being held Saturday morning, in line with Navalny's affiliate Ivan Zhdanov.
President Joe Biden addressed the US after information of Navalny's demise, saying he was each “Not surprised and outraged” whereas placing the blame instantly on Putin.
“We don't know precisely what occurred, however there is no such thing as a doubt that Navalny's demise was the results of one thing Putin and his associates did,” Biden stated.
Julia Navalnaya, spouse of late Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny, attends the Munich Safety Convention, the day it was introduced that Alexei Navalny has died, in Munich, southern Germany on February 16, 2024.
Thomas Kienzle/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Navalny's spouse, Julia Navalnaya, addressed leaders on the Munich Safety Convention in Germany following experiences of her husband's demise, talking shortly after US Vice President Kamala Harris.
“We will't belief Putin, they at all times lie,” she stated. “If that is true, I need Putin and his complete circle, Putin's associates and his authorities to know that they are going to be held accountable for what they’ve achieved to our nation, my household and my husband. And that day will to come back. very quickly.”
“I wish to name on the whole world neighborhood, everybody on this room and folks around the globe, to come back collectively and defeat this evil, defeat the horrible regime that’s now in Russia,” Navalnaya stated.
“This regime and Vladimir Putin should take private accountability for all of the horrible issues they’ve achieved to my household, to our nation Russia, in recent times,” she stated.
His speech was met with a standing ovation.
Requested if the U.S. is contemplating extra sanctions in opposition to Russia, Biden stated they’re “taking a look at an entire variety of choices.”
Biden additionally applauded Navalny's willpower to battle Putin and his regime even after Russia's assassination try.
“He was courageous, he was principled, he was dedicated to constructing a Russia the place there was a rule of regulation and it utilized to everybody,” Biden stated of Navalny.
“Even in jail he was a robust voice for fact. And he may have lived safely in exile after the assassination in 2020 — which nearly killed him, I’d add,” Biden stated.
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken spoke of the reported death of Navalny throughout a gathering with the Indian international minister in Munich.
“If these experiences are right, our hearts exit to his spouse and his household,” Blinken stated. “Past that, his demise in a Russian jail and one man's obsession and worry solely underscores the weak point and decay on the coronary heart of the system that Putin has constructed.”
“Russia is answerable for this,” Blinken continued. “We are going to communicate to many different international locations involved about Alexei Navalny, particularly if these experiences develop into true.”
Blinken and Harris every met with Navalnaya in Munich and provided their condolences.
“No matter story they inform, let's be clear, Russia is accountable,” Harris stated. reacting to the news of Navalny's death.
“Now we have all simply acquired experiences that Alexei Navalny has died in Russia. That is definitely horrible information, which we’re working to substantiate,” Harris advised the Munich Safety Convention. “My prayers are along with his household, together with his spouse, Julia, who’s with us as we speak. And if confirmed, it could be an extra signal of Putin's brutality.”
The consultant of the Russian Overseas Ministry, Maria Zakharova, pushed again in opposition to the response of NATO leaders, who referred to as the accusations in opposition to Russia self-exposing and stated that there had not but been a forensic examination, however the West's conclusions have been already prepared
A person holds a poster with a portrait of opposition chief Alexei Navalny throughout a protest exterior the Russian embassy in Berlin, Friday, February 16, 2024.
Markus Schreiber/AP
Navalny's mom reacted to the information with disbelief.
“I don't wish to hear any comfort. We noticed our son within the colony on the 12th, we have been at a gathering. He was alive, wholesome, comfortable,” Lyudmila Navalnaya advised the impartial Russian information outlet Novaya Gazeta.
In Russia, greater than 83 folks have been arrested in seven cities in demonstrations following information of Navalny's demise. The Moscow Prosecutor's Workplace issued a warning about “requires mass motion”. The division said that the “specified mass occasion” was not coordinated with the Moscow authorities and threatened the members laying flowers with punishment, together with administrative arrest.
Not lengthy after the Russian authorities stated Navalny had died, Navalny's official stated that – for now – they haven’t any affirmation of his demise and that they’ll tackle the general public as quickly as they’ve extra data.
“For the time being now we have no affirmation about this. Alexey's lawyer is flying now. As quickly as now we have any type of data, we are going to present it,” wrote Kyra Yarmysh, Navalny's accuser in X.
His demise, nevertheless, was later confirmed to be actual.
Navalny was being held in an Arctic prison campafter shifting there in December.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been knowledgeable, in line with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who blamed Western international locations.
“The statements of the Western international locations are utterly clear,” Peskov stated. “There isn’t any assertion from medical doctors, no data from forensic specialists, no closing data from the Federal Penitentiary Service, no details about the causes of demise. And there are such statements. It’s clear that they’re completely outrageous. We we think about such statements completely unacceptable”.
The White Home stated it was attempting to substantiate Navalny's demise, however for now nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan stated: “Whether it is confirmed, it's a horrible tragedy.”
“Given the Russian authorities's lengthy and sordid historical past of doing hurt to its opponents, it raises actual and apparent questions on what occurred right here,” Sullivan advised NPR Friday morning. “However I'm going to carry off on additional remark till we all know extra and we're actively searching for affirmation as I do know, Mr. Navalny's household is as effectively and we'll decide from there what — what's going to occur afterwards.”
(FILE) Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny stands inside a glass cell throughout a court docket listening to at Babushkinsky District Court docket in Moscow on February 20, 2021. Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny died in jail, Russian companies introduced on February 16, 2024.
Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
The information of Navalny's demise is sending shockwaves around the globe.
Navalny was an enormous in Russian politics and has been known as Russia's Nelson Mandela. He made his identify along with his extraordinary and fearless exposures of Putin's private wealth and turned it right into a motion for a free Russia with out Putin.
He had come, for a lot of Russians, to symbolize the hope of a democratic future for Russia. As he lived, regardless of the brand new depths of repression that Russia has plunged into up to now two years, he represented hope, fueled by his indomitable optimism that also radiates from his jail cell.
Now, nevertheless, the anti-Kremlin opposition has simply died down.
Whereas the reason for demise continues to be unknown, there was a right away enhance in suspicion that he could have been murdered.
The suspicions should not unfounded.
In 2018, Russia's FSB tried Killing Navalny with a nerve agent and he nearly succeeded.
However since he returned to Russia in 2021 and was promptly jailed, there have been fears for his security. Whereas in jail, he has been subjected to relentless strain, spending a whole bunch of days in solitary confinement and, most lately, being moved to an Arctic jail camp.
The timing of Navalny's demise can also be notable because it comes only a month earlier than the Russian elections, when he was — once more — telling folks to mobilize and attempting to show vote rigging, all to undermine Putin's legitimacy by voting.
In the meantime, the pro-Kremlin propaganda channel RT is quoting an nameless supply claiming that Navalny died of a “blood thrombosis”.
The Kremlin has persistently labored to dismantle Navalny's peaceable motion, outlawing it as an “extremist group” and arresting or exiling its leaders.