02/16/2024

Russian Officials Say Alexei Navalny Dies in Prison

He was Vladimir Putin's most ardent critic

Alexei Navalny, the steely Russian lawyer who exposed corruption, self-dealing and abuse of power by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his cronies, sustaining a popular challenge to Putin for more than a decade despite constant pressure from the authorities and a near-fatal poisoning, died Feb. 16 in a Russian prison colony just above the Arctic Circle. He was 47.

His death at Kharp, in the Yamal-Nanets Autonomous Region, was announced by Russia's prison service. Prison authorities said in a statement that Navalny "felt unwell" after a walk, "almost immediately losing consciousness" and added that a medical team failed to resuscitate him.

Navalny had endured the country's harshest prison conditions since December; the region is brutally cold. In August, his prison sentence was extended by 19 years on charges connected to his anti-corruption foundation. Supporters said the charges were politically motivated and part of a campaign by Putin to silence him.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.