By Aya Khalaf | Staff Writer
Alexei Navalny, Russia’s top opposition leader and President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent foe, has been announced dead on a random Friday night on February 16. This statement was made by the Federal Penitentiary Service at the Arctic prison.
“On February 16, 2024, in penal colony number 3, convict Navalny A.A. felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness.”
“The medical staff of the institution arrived immediately, and an ambulance team was called.”
“All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, which did not give positive results. Doctors of the ambulance stated the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established.”
No further details were shared about Navalny’s death. Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmish, however, stated that his family was notified of his cause of death being labelled as “sudden death syndrome” which correlates to different cardiac syndromes that could’ve caused sudden cardiac arrests Another unidentifiable source stated that Navalny died due to a blood clot.
Therefore, there are no confirmed sources that correspond to his actual death cause. However, many speculations have been going on as to Putin being involved in the death. Such speculations intensified when “Novaya Gazetta”, a Russian newspaper, cited unclassified sources that stated that Navalny’s body showed bruisings consistent with seizures in addition to heart massage attempts. Adding to that, unidentifiable sources shared that his body may have been taken to the morgue at the Salekhard District Clinical Hospital, yet it is not guaranteed that such sources are reliable. Thus, the whereabouts of Navalny’s body are still unclear for now.
An anonymous prisoner in the same penal colony told the Novaya Gazeta newspaper that a “strange commotion” erupted in the prison on the evening of February 15. The guards accelerated their evening checks of the prisoners and strengthened security, the prisoner said.
The prisoner said Navalny’s death “became known” in the prison at about 08:00 Moscow time (0500 GMT) – several hours before his death was officially announced by the prison service – but that an ambulance arrived only after his death was established. However, it was impossible to verify the prisoner’s account, according to Reuters News.
Amidst rising speculations about the Russian government having a direct relation to Navalny’s death, Vladimir Dzhabarov, the deputy head of the Duma’s foreign affairs committee, merely rejected the allegations stating that “Russia had no reason to harm Navalny’s health, absolutely no reason,” he said. “This person was serving his term. He still had a few years to go. I think it was a tragic accident. These things happen.”
Navalny’s family was full of rage as his mother, Ludmila, shared on her Facebook how she visited him on the 12th of February where he looked fully healthy, insinuating that the death was not natural.
Political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann told DW News (Deutsche Welle) that she doubts Navalny died of natural causes, recalling a court session that he attended just a few days ago. “He had the voice of a healthy, energetic man, not a feeble one. When someone has pneumonia, or suffers from heart problems or hunger—you can hear that. A week ago he was healthy and full of energy. For us, no scenario but murder makes sense.”
Exiled opposition politician and former Putin rival Mikhail Khodorkovsky said the Kremlin – the central political power of Russia – was squarely to blame: “Regardless of the formal cause of death, Vladimir Putin bears responsibility for Alexei’s premature death, first poisoning him and later putting him in prison.”
Amidst these circulating speculations, there has been a surge in accusations leveled against President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government. The deep suspicion surrounding official accounts is highlighted by the skepticism voiced by political personalities and analysts, as well as by Novaya Gazeta’s claim of unusual activity in the prison before Navalny’s death.
International observers, opposition leaders, and the family of Alexei Navalny persist in calling for justice and transparency, even as Russian authorities reject these accusations. The facts behind Navalny’s death are still unknown. investigations and scrutiny widen in the uninviting and repressive Russia, leaving his supporters mourning a fierce opponent feared by Russia’s most powerful man. This incident raises concerns about the status of democracy and human rights in Russia, amidst high securitization due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Sources:
Images: https://images.app.goo.gl/Bdb2LeHWL8qd6UvG9
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/alexei-navalnys-death-what-do-we-know-2024-02-18/
https://apnews.com/article/russia-navalny-life-timeline-0722708e19e51b10699b2cc73ece0bae