Russia issues statement on Navalny's death
Even six months later, it remains unclear how Kremlin critic Navalny died. His widow receives a document from Russian authorities stating that his death had "no criminal cause". Navalny's wife, Julia, is not satisfied with this explanation.
Six months after the death of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny in a penal colony, his widow Julia Navalny criticized Russian authorities for not providing a convincing explanation for the cause of death. In a three-page document she received from investigators, it was merely stated that Navalny's death had no "criminal cause", she said in a video posted on X. Therefore, investigators see no reason to open a criminal case regarding his death.
Navalny became known in Russia as a blogger and was the most prominent critic of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. In 2020, he survived a nerve agent attack and sought treatment in Germany. Upon his return to Russia in early 2021, he was arrested and sentenced to a total of 19 years in prison, which he described as politically motivated. Navalny died under unclear circumstances in a Siberian penal colony on February 16.
The document published by Navalny's team on social media attributes his death to "a combination of diseases". Various illnesses are listed, including gallbladder inflammation, herniated disc, and staphylococcal infection. It is further stated that heart rhythm disturbances led to his death. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this document," said Navalny, who continues her husband's work. "This is yet another pathetic attempt to cover up what happened - murder." She noted that one in three Russians has such diseases but does not die from them.
Navalny associate also criticizes explanation attempt
Moreover, her husband, who was placed in solitary confinement 27 times, should have been thoroughly examined upon arrival at the penal colony, according to regulations. Russian opposition figure and close Navalny associate Leonid Volkov also criticized the authorities' explanation attempt. "For six months, Putin's investigators were unable to formulate their version of what happened. Now they've really come up with nothing," Volkov wrote on Telegram.
Navalny announced that her lawyers would file an appeal and demand the release of all medical documents and the initiation of a criminal case. Furthermore, Navalny's team will continue its own investigations into the circumstances surrounding her husband's death.
- Despite the Russian authorities stating that Navalny's death had no "criminal cause," the European Union expressed concerns about the transparency and integrity of the investigation, calling for an independent probe.
- In response to the lack of clarity around Navalny's death, the European Union decided to impose sanctions on several Russian officials, citing human rights violations and the politically motivated conviction of Navalny.
