Alexei, we will never forget you, we will never forgive them – wrote Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the X website after information about the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a penal colony.
Russia’s prison department announced Friday that Alexei Navalny, the leader of the anti-Kremlin opposition who is considered the main opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had died in a labor camp.
Alexei, we will never forget you, we will never forgive
– wrote Prime Minister Tusk on the X website.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: We demand an independent investigation into Navalny’s death
The Russian authorities bear full responsibility for this tragedy; We demand an independent investigation and a full explanation of all the circumstances of the death, the Polish Foreign Ministry said in response to reports of Alexei Navalny’s death.
The administration of Russia’s prison service announced Friday that Alexei Navalny, the leader of the anti-Kremlin opposition considered the main opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had died in the labor camp. Independent media report this information, citing the Directorate of Prison Service in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. There is a penal colony on its territory where Navalny recently stayed.
Poland’s Ministry of Diplomacy said in a statement that it was shocked by reports of Alexei Navalny’s death.
The Russian authorities bear full responsibility for this tragedy. We demand an independent investigation and a full explanation of all the circumstances of the death
– said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Alexei Navalny was one of the leaders of the Russian opposition and civil society. In recent years, no opposition representative has enjoyed such popularity and trust among the Russian public, which he gained mainly thanks to his activities that exposed the extent of corruption in the highest levels of the Russian authorities.
– we read in the announcement.
It added that Navalny was arrested many times for his activities, and in August 2020 there was an attempt to poison him. The ministry pointed out that the politician has been in solitary confinement almost continuously lately.
He has spent about 300 days like this since his captivity more than three years ago
– wrote in the statement.
It added that the politician was transferred to another penal colony in mid-December last year, but for two weeks neither his family nor his defenders had any contact with him or knowledge of his whereabouts.
We would like to remind you that other political prisoners in Russia may face a similar danger, including: Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has already been poisoned twice for his opposition activities, as well as Alexei Gorinov and Maria Ponomarenko
– took note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry pointed out that according to Memorial’s estimates, there are currently 636 political prisoners in Russian prisons and detention centers, and according to other estimates, as many as 3.5 thousand. people who are persecuted in Russia for political reasons.
Persecution of political prisoners often takes place even after their conviction, for example by banning contact with their loved ones and placing them in solitary confinement.
– noted the ministry.
We call on the entire democratic community to jointly condemn the Russian authorities and take decisive steps to immediately punish all those responsible for this tragedy.
– emphasized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The capture of Alexei Navalny
Alexei Navalny is the most important figure in the Russian opposition and enemy number one of Vladimir Putin. He was 47 years old. On February 14, Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh announced that the political prisoner had been placed in solitary confinement for the 27th time.
Three years ago, Navalny was arrested and jailed after returning to the country from Germany, where he was undergoing treatment following a poisoning attempt widely believed to have been carried out by Russian secret services. In subsequent trials brought by authorities, he was sentenced to a total of more than 30 years in prison.
On December 25, 2023, Navalny’s associates announced that the oppositionist had been transferred to Penal Colony No. 3 in the town of Charp in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of northern Russia. Navalny was previously imprisoned in the penal colony in Myelekhov in Vladimir Oblast, about 250 km east of Moscow.
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Source: wPolityce