By: Adam Beam 2/16/2024
The imprisoned opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, has died in prison, according to Russian authorities. He had been incarcerated since 2021.
The 47-year-old politician was serving a 19-year prison sentence for extremism.
According to The Associated Press, Navalny fell ill after taking a walk and subsequently lost consciousness. Despite several attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead on Friday. The cause of death has yet to be established.
Navalny gained popularity as Putin's strongest opponent. Unlike other challengers, Navalny refused to be silenced. In August 2020, he survived an assassination attempt when he was poisoned with a nerve agent during a flight to Moscow.
Subsequently, Navalny utilized social media and was featured in the documentary "Navalny," which documented his investigation and exposure of those allegedly responsible for his poisoning.
Upon his return to Moscow, Navalny was detained by Russian authorities and has since been serving multiple prison sentences. According to his supporters, all charges against him were politically motivated. In August 2023, he received an additional 19-year sentence for the aforementioned extremism charges.
In December, Navalny was reported missing for several days after his family attempted to contact him. He was later discovered after being transferred to a Russian penal colony, where he remained until his death.
One of Navalny's last communications occurred in early February when he urged his social media followers to stage protests against the country's upcoming election. He stated, "a real, all-Russia protest action that will take place not just in every city, but in every district of every city.”
Alexei Navalny is survived by his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and their two children. "Navalny," the Oscar-winning documentary, is currently streaming on Max as well.
*This story is developing. And this article will be updated as more details become available.