After years of opposition to Vladimir Putin's regime, Alexeï Navalny died at the age of 47 this Friday, in the Arctic prison where he was serving a 19-year prison sentence, the prison services announced ( FSIN).
“On February 16, 2024, in penitentiary center No. 3, prisoner Navalny AA felt unwell after a walk and almost immediately lost consciousness,” the FSIN said in a statement, assuring that emergency services had tried to rescue him. save.
“The causes of death are being established,” it is stated.
The reactions to the death of this activist were not long in coming.
“Alexeï Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression.
His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin's regime,” Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné declared on X.
“To his family, his loved ones and the Russian people, France presents its condolences.
» “No need for words”, for her part soberly tweeted the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna.
Alexei Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression.
His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin's regime.
To his family, his loved ones and the Russian people, France presents its condolences.
— Stéphane Séjourné (@steph_sejourne) February 16, 2024
The new Minister Delegate for Europe, Jean-Noël Barrot, also had harsh words towards Moscow.
“In a democracy, a political opponent does not die in prison”, he writes, “the death of Alexeï Navalny reminds us of the reality of the Russian regime and the oppression of democratic debate which rages there.
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“Make no mistake: this is an assassination”
Several elected officials from EELV also reacted.
“Putin has finished destroying and assassinating his main political opponent Navalny!
", launches Senator Yannick Jadot, "a few days before the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine and one month before the presidential election, the dictator reminds us that he allows himself all crimes!
".
“What a shame,” writes MP Sandrine Rousseau.
MP Julien Bayou also denounced Moscow's policy, and the fact that opponents are “sent to remote penal colonies in the Arctic to die.
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“Putin ended up killing Alexei,” MoDem president François Bayrou wrote on the social network all this to silence him.
This is how the dictator's opponents end up today, in full view of everyone.
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This is the reality of the Putin regime, aggressor of Ukraine, imperialist, worthy heir of Stalin in terms of repression.
Opponents are sent to remote Arctic penal colonies to die.https://t.co/m3NcJRXJ0R
— Julien Bayou (@julienbayou) February 16, 2024
Horizons MEP Nathalie Loiseau (former Minister of Foreign Affairs), did not beat around the bush: “Make no mistake: this is an assassination.
Vladimir Putin proves once again that he maintains power through crime.
My thoughts are with the family of Alexei Navalny and all Russian political prisoners.
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The Russian regime “solely responsible for the tragic death” of Navalny
International leaders also deplored the death of the activist.
“He was just brutally assassinated by the Kremlin.
This is a fact,” Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics tweeted, pointing out “the true nature of the current Russian regime.
» “The Russian government bears a heavy responsibility,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide also wrote on X, adding that he was “deeply saddened” by the news.
“Putin is absolute evil, who fears all competition.
The lives of Russians are nothing to him, the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Iermak, declares on Telegram, there can be no negotiations with him.
The only language he understands is that of force.”
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky has ruled that Russian President Vladimir Putin should be “accountable for his crimes”.
“It is obvious to me that (Alexei Navalny) was killed like thousands of others who were tortured to death because of one person, Putin, who does not care who dies as long as he keeps his position ".
The EU holds “the Russian regime” “solely responsible for the tragic death” of opponent Alexeï Navalny, also launched the President of the European Council Charles Michel.
» He “fought for the values of freedom and democracy.
For his ideals, he made the ultimate sacrifice (…) I send my sincere condolences to his family and to those who fight for democracy around the world.
Fighters die, but the fight for freedom never stops.”
Ukrainian activist Inna Shevchenko, a major figure in the Femen movement, posted a short message: “Navalny is dead.
There will be no more opposition in Russia.
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On the Russian side, Alexeï Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, stressed that she had not yet had confirmation of his death, and that his lawyer was on his way to prison.