“The Prison Service Reports Putin Critic Alexey Navalny Collapsed and Lost Consciousness Following a Walk in a Remote Penal Colony.”

“Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism, has reportedly died in prison, according to state media citing the prison service of the region where he was detained. As of Friday, there has been no immediate confirmation of the 47-year-old’s death from his team.”

Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, stated that his lawyer was en route to the remote prison colony north of the Arctic Circle, but later conveyed that there was “almost no hope” for Navalny’s survival.

According to a statement quoted by state media, the federal prison service reported that Navalny “felt unwell” after a walk and rapidly lost consciousness.

Navalny had been held at the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp, located in the Yamalo-Nenets region, approximately 1,900km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, after being transferred there in December.

The colony, known as “special regime” or “Polar Wolf,” is renowned for its harsh conditions and is situated in an area with extreme winters. Most inmates are serving sentences for serious crimes. Kharp is approximately 100km (60 miles) from Vorkuta, whose coal mines were once part of the Soviet gulag camp system.

The prison service stated, “Medical personnel responded promptly, and an ambulance was summoned. Despite resuscitation efforts, there was no improvement. Paramedics confirmed the prisoner’s death. The exact cause of death is under investigation.”

The Kremlin confirmed that President Vladimir Putin had been notified of Navalny’s death.

In response to reports of Navalny’s death, the Russian prosecutor’s office cautioned against participation in a large-scale protest in central Moscow.

‘Paid for his courage with his life’

Navalny aide Leonid Volkov posted on X: “Russian authorities have essentially admitted to the murder of Alexei Navalny in prison. We lack any means to verify this or refute it.”

Lyudmila Navalnaya, Navalny’s mother, stated to Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta that her son appeared “alive, healthy, and happy” during their last meeting on February 12.

Navalny’s wife, Yulia, who held a press conference at the Munich Security Summit attended by global leaders and officials, asserted that Putin and his associates should face consequences if her husband’s death is confirmed.

She urged the international community to unite in combating the “horrific regime” in Moscow.

Numerous world leaders have released statements expressing that Navalny “paid the ultimate price for his bravery,” holding Russia accountable for his imprisonment and demise as a consequence of his opposition to Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the news, stating it was “evident” that Navalny had been assassinated by Putin. “Like thousands of others who have endured torture,” he remarked, emphasizing the necessity for the Russian leader to face consequences and be held responsible for his actions by losing everything.

US President Joe Biden said he was “not surprised” but “outraged” about the news of Navalny’s death.

“He bravely stood up to the corruption, the violence and all the bad things the Putin government was doing … Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that Navalny’s death “only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for this.”

A spokesperson later told reporters on Air Force One that the White House was calling for an investigation into Navalny’s death.

“Navalny’s Death in a Harsh Prison”

Reporting from Moscow, Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova highlighted that Russia’s prison service confirmed Navalny’s death in colony number 3, known for its severe conditions, where “his health has notably deteriorated recently.”

The official cause of death has yet to be disclosed, and an investigation is ongoing, Shapovalova noted.

Navalny, a prominent critic of Putin, had been incarcerated since January 2021, following his return to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning, which he attributed to the Kremlin.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/16/russian-opposition-leader-alexey-navalny-has-died-in-prison-state-media

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/16/europe/alexey-navalny-russian-activist-obituary-intl/index.html