Alexei Navalny, fierce Putin critic and jailed opposition leader, dead: reports
Alexei Navalny, the fiercest critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in prison Friday, according to international media reports citing Russian prison officials.
However, there has not yet been any official confirmation of those reports from those close to Navalny, including his legal team.
Navalny, 47, has been serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism in a “special regime” penal colony above the Artic Circle. He was moved there in December 2023. His allies have labelled the sentences against him as politically motivated.
Russia’s Federal Prison Service said in a statement that Navalny felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness. An ambulance arrived to try to rehabilitate him, but he died, The Associated Press and Reuters reported, citing those Russian officials.
The service said the cause of death was “being established.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday Putin has been told about Navalny’s death, and Russia’s Investigate Committee said it has launched a procedural probe into the death.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly issued a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on the reports.
“Alexei Navalny gave his freedom in the hopes of a better, more democratic future for the Russian people,” she said.
“Reports of his death are a painful reminder of Putin’s continued oppressive regime.”
Alexei Navalny gave his freedom in the hopes of a better, more democratic future for the Russian people. Reports of his death are a painful reminder of Putin’s continued oppressive regime.
My thoughts are with his wife,Yulia, his family, and his loved ones.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) <a href=«https://twitter.com/melaniejoly/status/1758487749491875928?ref_src=» https:>February
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