Alexei Navalny, Russian Opposition Figure ‘Putin’s Enemy’ Dies in Prison

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Kremlin –

Russian opposition leader who was an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, Alexei Navalny, reportedly died in prison, in the Yamalo-Nenets district. He is said to have died because he didn’t feel well after going for a walk.

Reported by CNN and BBC, Friday (16/2/2024), the prison service in the Yamalo-Nenets district said he felt unwell after going for a walk today local time. He is said to have lost consciousness.

“He almost immediately lost consciousness,” he said in a statement.

The prison’s emergency medical team was called after that happened. The medical team is said to have tried to revive him but was unsuccessful.

“Emergency doctors declared the detainee dead. The cause of death is being determined,” the statement continued.

Russia’s prison service said it was investigating Navalny’s sudden death. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had been briefed on the report, according to state media RIA Novosti.

Meanwhile, Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, said his lawyer was traveling to Kharp, where Navalny has been held since December. “As soon as we have information, we will report it,” Yarmysh wrote in X.

Navalany’s reported death came shortly before Russia’s presidential election, due to take place on March 17, in which Putin is expected to win a fifth term in office in a move that could see him retain power until at least 2030.

For your information, Navalny has long been a thorn in the side of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has exposed corruption among high-ranking officials, campaigned against the ruling United Russia party, and organized some of the largest anti-government protests in recent years.

He returned to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he was being treated after being poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. Upon his return, Navalnvy was immediately arrested on charges he considered politically motivated. He has been in prison since then.

Navalny was sentenced to 19 years in prison in August, after he was found guilty of creating an extremist community, financing extremist activists and various other crimes. He is already serving an 11-and-a-half year sentence in a maximum security facility on fraud charges and other charges he denies.

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(maa/jbr)