Putin's main opponent, Russian Alexei Navalny, dies aged 47 in prison

This Friday (16), Russian activist Alexei Navalny died in prison after feeling unwell in the penitentiary service in the Yamalo-Nenets region, in Russia, about 65 kilometers north from the Arctic Circle, where he had been serving his sentence since 2021. According to authorities, Navalny felt ill after walking and lost consciousness. The Russian government said it has no knowledge of the cause of death.

_{Alexei Navalny being arrested in 2021 upon returning from Germany (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@navalny)}

Political persecution

Alexei Navalny was a political activist, lawyer and political prisoner, known for satirizing President Vladimir Putin and accusing his government of corruption. He has already led several demonstrations against the Russian government and constantly fought for democracy and freedom of expression. In 2016, he announced his candidacy for president, however, the Central Election Commission of Russia said he could not run due to a court conviction, he was found guilty of fraud and received a sentence of five years in prison.Â

In 2020, during a flight to Moscow, Navalny passed out in the aisle of the plane that made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk and spent two days in the hospital until he was taken to Germany for treatment. In Germany, doctors concluded that the activist had been poisoned, leaving him in an induced coma for two weeks. It took Navalny a few weeks to recover his speech and body movements. The Russian government has denied involvement in the poisoning. After his recovery, Alexei returned to Russia and was arrested and sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for charges that he denies and claimed were politically motivated.

_{Navalny with his wife and children (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@navalny)}

Life in prison

After being arrested, Navalny's life became more difficult, the lawyer was worried about his physical health and his life, he felt a lot of pain in his body, he was deprived of sleep, as he was woken up every hour to talk to the camera. his cell to make sure he hadn't escaped. He has already gone on hunger strike for fear of being poisoned again.

And on December 6th, the Russian was reported missing, as his lawyers were prohibited from seeing him and soon after discovering that Alexei had been transferred to the Polar Wolf prison, known for being one of the most rigorous prisons in the world. Russia, where highly dangerous prisoners are held. A spokesman for Navalny says the transfer to a remote and inhospitable location was to isolate him, make his life more difficult and make access difficult for his lawyers and allies. Alexei Navalny leaves behind his wife Yulia Navalny and two children.Â

Featured photo: Alexei at the Russian Central Election Commission for his campaign (Reproduction/EvgenyFeldman/Brochure/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Article by: Adriane Paiva/In Magazine