Russian opposition politician and Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in prison - Reports
Alexei Navalny, aged 47, was one of Putin’s most prominent and enduring critics. He was detained in a prison situated approximately 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been serving a 19-year sentence under a “special regime”.
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FollowIn what is being viewed as a political assassination linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the country's opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been reported dead in jail, as confirmed by the prison service. Navalny, aged 47, was one of Putin’s most prominent and enduring critics. He was detained in a prison situated approximately 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been serving a 19-year sentence under a “special regime”.
According to reports, Navalny is said to have fallen ill during a walk in the prison yard, following which he fell to the ground and died. His lawyer, however, said that 'everything was fine' during a visit two days ago.
Following this news, Kremlin stated it has no information on what caused the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison, adding that Putin has been informed about his death.
In early December, Alexei Navalny vanished from a prison in the Vladimir region, where he was serving a 30-year sentence on charges of extremism and fraud. Navalny asserted that these charges were politically motivated retaliation for his leadership in the anti-Kremlin opposition movement of the 2010s. He had little hope of being released during Putin’s lifetime.
Initially a nationalist politician, Navalny played a pivotal role in catalyzing the 2011-12 protests in Russia. He campaigned against election fraud and government corruption, conducted investigations into Putin’s inner circle, and disseminated his findings through captivating videos that garnered millions of views.
His political apex occurred in 2013 when he secured 27% of the vote in a Moscow mayoral election widely criticized for lacking fairness and transparency. Despite facing constant pressure from the Kremlin, Navalny continued to expose corruption, uncovering details about a Black Sea palace linked to Putin, lavish properties of former President Dmitry Medvedev, and connections between a top foreign policy official and a prominent oligarch.
Navalny’s life took a dramatic turn in 2020 when he fell into a coma following a suspected novichok poisoning by Russia’s FSB security service. After receiving treatment in Germany, he recovered and returned to Russia in January 2021. Upon his return, he was promptly arrested for violating parole terms and subsequently faced multiple jail sentences, cumulatively totaling over 30 years.
Putin, who is currently seeking his fifth term as president, is already the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin. With the constitutional term limit rules amended in 2020, Putin could potentially extend his presidency beyond 2030, further solidifying his political dominance.
