Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny dies at the age or 47 by Anna Chernova and Christian Edwards, CNN

Jailed Russian opposition leader and outspoken Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, who made global headlines when he was poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020, has died aged 47, the Russian prison service said.

Navalny had long been a thorn in the side of President Vladimir Putin, exposing corruption in high places, campaigning against the ruling United Russia party, and orchestrating some of the biggest anti-government protests seen in recent years.

He returned to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he had been treated after being poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent.

Upon his return, Navalnvy was swiftly arrested on charges he dismissed as politically motivated. He has been incarcerated ever since, amid longstanding concerns for his welfare that grew more intense in recent weeks after he was transferred to a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle.

Navalny “felt unwell after a walk” and “almost immediately” lost consciousness, the prison service said Friday. It said it was investigating his “sudden death.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin has been informed of the reports and that it is for doctors to determine the cause of Navalny’s death.

“As far as we’re aware, in accordance with all the rules, the prison service is carrying out checks and clarifications,” Peskov told reporters. Asked about reports that the death involved a blood clot, he replied: “I don’t know. Doctors must find it out.”

Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, said his lawyer is traveling to Kharp, where Navalny has been held since December.

“As soon as we have any information, we will report it,” Yarmysh wrote on X. To read more go to the link below:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/16/europe/alexey-navalny-dead-russia-prison-intl/index.html#