One of Vladimir Putin’s biggest opponents, activist died in prison in Siberia and his family talks about murder
The EU (European Union) announced on Monday (18 March 2024) new sanctions on Russia over the death of Alexei Navalny. The measures target 30 Russian government officials allegedly involved in the case. “We agree on sanctions for those responsible for Navalny’s murder”, said the EU’s high representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, after a meeting with the foreign ministers of the bloc’s countries, in Brussels (Belgium).
In the statement, Borrell speaks of “murder” by the activist, who opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin. The speech contradicts the Kremlin, which indicates “death from natural causes” (read more below). The names of those sanctioned and the measures adopted were not disclosed. They should be published in the next few days on EU Official Gazette.
DEATH OF NAVALNY
Navalny’s death was reported on February 16, 2024 by the prison service of the Russian district of Yamalo-Nenets, located in Siberia, where he was serving his sentence. The activist would have felt bad and “lost consciousness almost immediately” after a walk.
One day earlier, on Thursday (Feb 16), Navalny participated in a video hearing. At the time, she joked about her financial situation and smiled.
The family was unable to access Navalny’s body for at least 7 days after his death and stated that the Russian government was trying to hide traces of the murder. The Kremlin denied it. On February 23, Navalny’s mother gained access to her son’s body and said that the death certificate indicated “death from natural causes”.
The activist’s funeral was held on March 1. A crowd of supporters gathered in Russia to pay tribute. The ceremony was held at the Icon of the Mother of God Orthodox Church in the Maryino district, south of Moscow, and the activist’s body was buried at the Borisovski cemetery.
