(Reuters) – Following are reactions in Russia and abroad to the death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, reported on Friday by the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region where he had been serving his sentence.
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS
KREMLIN SPOKESMAN DMITRY PESKOV
Peskov said President Vladimir Putin has been told about Navalny’s death. The reaction of Western leaders to the death was unacceptable and “absolutely rabid”, Peskov said later.
RUSSIA’S INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE
The committee said it has launched a procedural probe into the death.
NAVALNY FAMILY, AIDES, SUPPORTERS
NAVALNY’S WIFE, YULIA NAVALNAYA, SPEAKING IN MUNICH
“We cannot believe Putin and his government because they lie incessantly. But, if it is indeed true, then I would like to say the following: Putin and all those who work for him, his entire entourage, his friends, I want them to know that they will not go unpunished. They will be punished for what they have done to our country, for what they have done to my family, for what they have done to my husband.”
NAVALNY’S MOTHER, LYUDMILA NAVALNAYA, QUOTED BY RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER NOVAYA GAZETA AS SAYING ON FACEBOOK
“I don’t want to hear any condolences. We saw him in prison on the (Feb) 12, in a meeting. He was alive, healthy and happy.”
NAVALNY AIDE LEONID VOLKOV, ON X
Volkov said Navalny’s lawyer was travelling to the site of the prison where the opposition leader had been serving his sentence.
NAVALNY’S DEPUTY, IVAN ZHDANOV, ON X
Zhdanov said relatives of Navalny should be notified of his death within 24 hours, but no notifications have been made.
RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER EDITOR AND NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE DMITRY MURATOV
Speaking to Reuters, Muratov called the death “murder” and said he believed prison conditions had led to Navalny’s demise.
FOREIGN LEADERS AND OFFICIALS
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN, SPEAKING IN MUNICH
“First and foremost, if these reports are accurate, our hearts go out to his wife and his family. Beyond that, his death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for this.”
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN, IN NPR INTERVIEW
“If it’s confirmed, it is a terrible tragedy. And given the Russian government’s long and sordid history of doing harm to its opponents, it raises real and obvious questions about what happened here.”
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON
“In today’s Russia, free spirits are put in the Gulag and sentenced to death.”
GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ
“I met Navalny here in Berlin when he was trying to recover in Germany from the poisoning attack and also talked to him about the great courage it takes to return to his country. And he has probably now paid for this courage with his life.”
GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNALENA BAERBOCK, ON X
“Like no one else, Alexei Navalny was a symbol for a free and democratic Russia. That is precisely the reason he had to die.”
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS IN MUNICH
“It is obvious: he was killed by Putin, as thousands of others were tortured and martyred by this one ‘creature’. Putin does not care who dies as long as he keeps his position. And that is why he should not keep anything. Putin should lose everything and answer for what he has done.”
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES
Said he was shocked and urged a “full, credible and transparent investigation”.
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE ALICE EDWARDS
Said she and several U.N. independent experts had urged the Russian government to end Navalny’s punitive prison conditions, called for an investigation into “credible allegations of torture against Mr. Navalny”, and urged authorities to ensure he got medical treatment.
“That our appeals to the Kremlin were ignored so blatantly, and with such disregard for human life is a tragedy for Mr. Navalny, his family and supporters. It is also a bleak day for the rule of law, free expression and human rights.”
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK, ON X
“This is terrible news. As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life.”
SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER ULF KRISTERSSON ON X:
“The Russian authorities, and President Putin personally, are responsible for Alexei Navalny no longer being alive.”
EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT CHARLES MICHEL, ON X
“Alexei Navalny fought for the values of freedom and democracy. For his ideals, he made the ultimate sacrifice. The EU holds the Russian regime solely responsible for this tragic death.”
EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN AND
EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL
“He was slowly murdered by President Putin and his regime, who fear nothing more than dissent from their own people.
“We will spare no efforts to hold the Russian political leadership and authorities to account.”
NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG
“We need to establish all the facts, and Russia needs to answer all the serious questions about the circumstances of his death.”
DUTCH PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE, ON X
“Navalny fought for democratic values and against corruption. He had to pay for his struggle with death while he was held under the harshest and most inhumane conditions.”
LATVIAN PRESIDENT EDGARS RINKEVICS, ON X
“Whatever your thoughts about Alexei Navalny as the politician, he was just brutally murdered by the Kremlin. That’s a fact and that is something one should know about the true nature of Russia’s current regime.”
CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER JAN LIPAVSKY
Russia “has turned into a violent state that kills people who dream of a better future, like Nemtsov or now Navalny – imprisoned and tortured to death for standing up to Putin. Rest in peace”.
REPUBLICAN U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER NIKKI HALEY
“Donald Trump continues to side with Vladimir Putin – a man who kills his political opponents, holds American journalists hostage, and has never hidden his desire to destroy America.”
(Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Compiled by Frances Kerry; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Andrew Heavens and Gareth Jones)
