Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died on February 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year prison sentence in the Arctic Circle maximum-security prison. In this article, we discuss What We Know About Alexei Navalny’s Death in the Arctic Prison.
The Circumstances of (Alexei Navalny’s Death)
According to Russian accounts, Navalny took a short walk at his Siberian penal colony, said he felt unwell, then collapsed and never regained consciousness. His condition had deteriorated in his three years in prison, where he complained of being denied medical treatment and had spent almost 300 days in solitary confinement.
Despite his deteriorating health, Navalny appeared to be in relatively good spirits and health in a court video a day before his death. However, the weight of international opinion does not appear to tally with Russia’s account of what happened to him at IK-3, or “Polar Wolf” – one of Russia’s northernmost and toughest prisons.
International Reactions (Alexei Navalny’s Death)
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said Navalny “paid with his life” for his “resistance to Russian oppression”, adding that his death was a reminder of the “reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime”. Navalny’s mother Lyudmila said her son was “alive, healthy, and happy” when she last saw him on 12 February. His wife, Yulia, expressed disbelief at the Russian government’s account.
Russian Reports (Alexei Navalny’s Death)
Russia’s Interfax news agency reports that medics spent half an hour trying to resuscitate him. According to prison authorities, doctors were with him within two minutes and an ambulance was available within six. The state-run RT network raised the possibility that a blood clot killed him. Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin’s spokesman, said “medics must somehow figure this out”. There has been no post-mortem examination, so far1.
Previous Attempts on Navalny’s Life
In December 2020, Navalny accused agents from Russia’s security agency, the FSB, of poisoning him. He had fallen gravely ill and collapsed on a plane flying out of Tomsk, Siberia, forcing the plane into an emergency landing in Omsk as the crew sought medical aid. European labs would later confirm that Novichok, the Russian-made nerve agent also used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury in the UK, was found on his body.
Location and Time of Death
Navalny was incarcerated at the IK-3 penal colony north of the Arctic Circle located in Kharp in the Yamalo-Nenets region about 1,900 km (1200 miles) northeast of Moscow. His death was announced by the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District at 2:19 pm Moscow time (1119 GMT) on Feb. 16.
Western Leaders’ Reactions (Alexei Navalny’s Death)
Western leaders have held Vladimir Putin directly responsible for the death of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The US president, Joe Biden, called it “yet more proof of Putin’s brutality”. Biden praised Navalny’s courage and his decision to return to Russia despite facing near-certain imprisonment.
Navalny’s Family’s Reactions
Navalny’s wife, Yulia, expressed disbelief at the news of her husband’s death. She said during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, “But if it is true, then I would like Putin, his staff, his friends, his government, to know that they will be punished for what they’ve done with our country, my family and my husband. They will be brought to justice, and that day will come very soon.”
Previous Assassination Attempts
Navalny was aware people wanted him dead. In December 2020, Navalny accused agents from Russia’s security agency, the FSB, of poisoning him. He had fallen gravely ill and collapsed on a plane flying out of Tomsk, Siberia, forcing the plane into an emergency landing in Omsk as the crew sought medical aid3. European labs would later confirm that Novichok, the Russian-made nerve agent also used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury in the UK, was found on his body.
Impact on Russia’s Pro-Democracy Movement
The death of Navalny, once Putin’s most significant political challenger, is a watershed moment for Russia’s shattered pro-democracy movement, which has largely been jailed or driven into exile since the Ukraine invasion of 2022. His death spurred numerous protests and gatherings in different countries, including Russia, where hundreds of mourners were detained
Conclusion
Alexei Navalny’s Death has spurred numerous protests and gatherings in different countries, including Russia, where hundreds of mourners were detained. Western officials and Russian opposition activists hold Russian authorities responsible for his death, and some have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ultimately being accountable.
1 thought on “What We Know About Alexei Navalny’s Death in Arctic Prison”
Comments are closed.