Washington D.C – President Joe Biden expressed concern and called for accountability following reports of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladmir Putin, fell into a coma last year after being poisoned with a nerve agent, which he blamed on the Russian government. The 44-year-old Navalny was recently reported to have died in a Russian prison, where he was serving a 2.5-year sentence. President Biden stated, “We have full confidence in the European Court of Human Rights findings,” and emphasized that “the Russian people, like all people, have a right to their voices being heard.”
Several world leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Charles Michel, also expressed concern and called for an investigation into Navalny’s death. Navalny’s allies have accused the Russian government of denying him proper medical care, ultimately leading to his death. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in Navalny’s poisoning and has not commented on the reports of his death.
Navalny’s case has further strained relations between Russia and the West. Following Navalny’s poisoning, the United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on Russian officials. President Biden has stated that “Putin is responsible for the health and safety of Alexei Navalny while he is in prison” and that there will be consequences if Navalny were to die.
Navalny’s supporters have called for protests across Russia to demand his release and to express their outrage at the government’s handling of his case. The Russian government has arrested thousands of protesters, including Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, calling for Putin’s government to uphold human rights and ensure the safety of political dissidents.