'Putin Jeongjeok' Navalni Dies in Prison... Russia "Cause of Death Under Investigation" (Comprehensive)

Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny has died while imprisoned in a Siberian prison.

On the 16th (local time), Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, reported that Navalny died at the No. 3 prison in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the northernmost Siberian region of Russia.

The authorities stated, "Navalny lost consciousness after a walk due to poor physical condition," and although medical staff performed emergency treatment, he died. They also added that the cause of Navalny's death is under investigation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Navalny's associates said via Telegram that nothing has been confirmed regarding his death and that his lawyer is on the way to the prison to understand the situation.

Lawyer Leonid Solovyov claimed to the independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta, "I visited Navalny two days ago (on the 14th), and at that time, everything was fine."

The Kremlin reported Navalny's death to Russian President Vladimir Putin and stated, "The responsibility for determining the cause of death lies with the medical staff."

Navalny had led anti-government movements by exposing corruption among high-ranking Russian officials through the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which he established in 2011. Not only the Anti-Corruption Foundation but also organizations such as the Foundation for the Protection of Citizens' Rights and Navalny Headquarters have been designated as 'extremist organizations' by Russian authorities.

Navalny was sentenced to over 30 years in prison on charges including illegal acquisition of funds, extremist activities, and fraud, and had been incarcerated since January 2021. The No. 3 prison where he died is known for its harsh conditions, including extreme cold, earning it the nickname "Wolf of the Arctic."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.