Alexei Navalny, Putin’s biggest political rival, is dead: Russian prison service

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison. The Russian prison service reported that Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, fell unconscious and died after feeling unwell following a walk at the "Polar Wolf" Arctic penal colony where he was serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence. His death has drawn outrage from the West, with many leaders blaming Putin for his demise. Navalny's supporters have accused the Kremlin of murder and called for Putin to be held accountable. The exact cause of his death is being investigated, and his supporters have vowed to continue his movement.Show more

Alexei Navalny was a prominent Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist. He was known for organizing anti-government demonstrations, running for office to advocate reforms against corruption in Russia, and being a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was the leader of the Russia of the Future party and the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. He was recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience and was awarded the Sakharov Prize for his work on human rights.

Navalny's activism and opposition to the Russian government led to his arrest, imprisonment, and various legal challenges. He faced multiple criminal cases, was sentenced to prison, and experienced a widely publicized poisoning incident in 2020, which he and international authorities attributed to Russian security forces, although Russian officials denied any involvement.

Navalny's death at the age of 47 in a Russian penal colony has sparked international attention and raised concerns about the state of political dissent and human rights in Russia.