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Russian opposition leader #AlexeiNavalny has died after feeling unwell & losing consciousness following a walk on Friday in the penal colony where he was held, according to the country's prison service. He was 47. Kremlin spox Dmitry Peskov told reporters today that Russian President Vladimir #Putin has been informed of his death, & prison medics are working to identify the cause of death.
#Russia #Navalny
https://www.npr.org/2024/02/16/1231946376/alexei-navalny-death-in-prison-vladimir-putin-opposition
His family members and supporters say authorities repeatedly denied #Navalny medical care, & subjected him to long, punishing stints in solitary confinement w/the apparent aim of preventing his access to the outside world. A representative of his Anti-Corruption Foundation in DC, expressed the belief in April that Navalny was slowly being #poisoned in prison.
"Nobody is allowed to see me," said Navalny, appearing gaunt during a court hearing in Oct. "I am completely isolated from information."
US Secy of State Antony #Blinken said:
“We’ve heard the reports from #Russia of Alexei #Navalny’s death in prison. For more than a decade, the Russian govt, #Putin, persecuted, #poisoned & imprisoned #AlexeiNavalny, & now reports of his death.”
“First & foremost, if these reports are accurate, our hearts go out to his wife & his family. Beyond that, his death in a Russian prison & the fixation & fear of 1 man only underscores the weakness & rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built.”
Dmitry Muratov, Russian Nobel Peace Laureate & the editor of Novaya Gazeta newspaper, demanded the release of official video records on Alexei #Navalny’s medical treatment, showing when doctors arrived, what medical assistance was provided, & whether all the possibilities to save his life were exhausted.
European leaders have started reacting to the news of Alexei #Navalny’s death, w/ #EuropeanCouncil President Charles Michel saying the bloc considers #Russia “responsible for this tragic death” & #Norway’s foreign minister saying Russia “bears a heavy responsibility.”
#France’s foreign minister paid tribute to Navalny & called his death a reminder of the reality of Russian President Vladimir #Putin’s “regime.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/16/alexei-navalny-dead-russia-prsion/
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: “I met #Navalny here in Berlin when he was trying to recover in #Germany from the poisoning attack & talked to him about the great courage it takes to go back to the country & he has probably now paid for this courage w/ his life.” Scholz added, speaking during a news conference in Berlin: “But we know now … exactly what kind of regime this is.”
Yulia #Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow is attending the #Munich #Security Conference & just spoke.
“I would like to call upon all the #international community, all the people in the #world, we should come together & we should fight against this #evil,” she said. “We should fight this horrific regime in #Russia today.”
Navalnaya received a standing ovation.
#Putin #AlexeiNavalny
In a post to FB, #AlexeiNavalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, wrote:
“I don’t want to hear any condolences. We saw our son in the penal colony on the 12th, on a visit. He was alive, healthy & cheerful.”
Earlier, Ivan Zhdanov, #Navalny’s associate, asked people to stop calling Lyudmila Navalnaya, who has been inundated with calls & messages.
“Dear all. I have a big request. Please stop with the calls. Especially to Lyudmila.”
#POTUS #Biden to speak momentarily about the tragic death of #AlexeiNavalny.
VP #KamalaHarris briefly met w/ #AlexeiNavalny’s wife, #YuliaNavalnaya, at the Munich Security Conference on Fri.
Navalnaya was present during Harris’s remarks at the conference, & Harris sat in the front row while Navalnaya spoke.
“The vice president expressed her sorrow & outrage over reports of his death, & the vice president said her prayers are w/ Yulia & the entire family,” a WH ofcl said.
The 2 met after Harris concluded meetings w/ a trio of foreign leaders.
#POTUS #Biden Says ‘#Putin Is Responsible’ for #Navalny’s Death
Biden said that there was “no doubt” that Putin’s govt was behind the death of #AlexeiNavalny.
“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” Biden said at a WH news conference, while acknowledging that the #UnitedStates still did not know details of what happened. “What has happened to Navalny is even more proof of Putin’s brutality. No one should be fooled.”
#POTUS #Biden praised #Navalny’s activism & his courage in returning to #Russia after being poisoned in 2020. “Even in prison, he was a powerful voice for the truth,” Biden said. He also repeated denunciations of fmr President Donald J. #Trump, who said recently that he would “encourage” Russia to attack #NATO #allies that do not spend enough on their militaries, calling Trump’s comments “dangerous” & “outrageous.”