Alexei Navalny Death: Meghan McCain says “blood on Putin’s hands”
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands inside a glass cell during a court hearing at the Babushkinsky district court in Moscow on February 20, 2021.(AFP)
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in prison, Al Jazeera reported on Friday, citing state media. The death of the jailed Russian-opposition leader, 47, has been reported by state media, which further cited the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region where he had been serving his sentence.
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Al Jazeera cited a statement put out by state media quoting the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region, which said that Navalny “felt bad” after a walk and lost consciousness “almost immediately.”
“Medical staff arrived immediately and an ambulance team was called. Resuscitation measures were carried out which did not yield positive results. Paramedics confirmed the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established,” the prison statement read.
Leading the reactions to the death, Meghan McCain slammed Putin and wrote on X: “It’s hard to find words… This is just horrible, awful news. Navalny is one of the great fighters for a free Russia and one of Putin’s greatest enemies. He fought for a freedom and democracy against an evil murderous KGB dictatorship. May his memory be a beacon of hope for all. The blood is on Putin’s hands.”
Journalist Edward Luce wrote: “Devastating but utterly unsurprising news of Navalny’s death – Putin’s main rival. No one can doubt that Putin’s system killed him. Hey, but Moscow’s supermarkets are so cheap aren’t they? “ Luce was referring to Tucker Carlson’s recent love for Moscow’s supermarkets.
Iranian activist Masih Alinejad wrote: “I am saddened and shocked, to learn of Alexei Navalny’s death in prison. Let me be clear: Navalny was KILLED in by Putin and his cronies. They are responsible for the death of dissidents in prison.
American journalist Anne Applebaum meanwhile added: “They killed him, because even in jail he threatened a regime that thrives on lies and secrets.
Navalny has been behind bars since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.
Prior to his arrest, he campaigned against corruption and organised major anti-Kremlin protests. He has since received three prison terms and spent months in isolation in Penal Colony Number 6 for alleged minor infractions.
A court extended Navalny’s sentence to 19 years on “extremism” charges and ruled that he be moved to a more secure, harsher prison.
Notably, Navalny had, time and again rejected all charges against him as politically motivated.
With inputs from agencies
