Alexei Navalny: The Mystery behind Russian opposition leader’s death

What is the mystery behind Alexei Navalny’s death in prison?

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death in prison has sparked international outcry and allegations of foul play, with claims emerging that Russian security officers visited the facility just days before he died amid suspicions of murder.

According to reports, two officers from the Russian intelligence service FSB allegedly disconnected some of the CCTV and recording devices at the Polar Wolf Arctic prison two days before Navalny’s death from what officials described as ‘sudden death syndrome.’

The visit was reportedly mentioned in a report by a branch of the Federal Penitentiary Service, as reported by the human rights campaign group website gulagu.net.

Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, visited the IK-3 Polar Wolf penal colony where her son was being held. She was informed that Navalny died after returning from a walk at 2:17 pm local time on Friday.

His press secretary, Kira Yarmysh, alleged in a video that Navalny had been murdered, claiming that the order came from the president of Russia himself. Navalny’s allies have been vocal in their demands for a transparent investigation into his death.

Navalny’s lawyer, who arrived in the town of Salekhard with Navalny’s mother, was allegedly told by the prison that the body was being held in the morgue. However, a contact at the Salekhard morgue later denied having the body, adding to the suspicion surrounding the circumstances of Navalny’s death.

Navalny, known as one of President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critics, had been serving a 19-year sentence on charges of ‘extremism’ and had recently been transferred to the Polar Wolf penal colony above the Arctic Circle.

The news of Navalny’s death has prompted condemnation from around the world. The Foreign Office in London summoned diplomats at the Russian Embassy and called for a full and transparent investigation into Navalny’s death.

The G7 also issued a statement demanding Russia to stop its persecution of political dissent and the limitation of civil rights.

Navalny’s death has reignited concerns about the treatment of political prisoners and dissent in Russia and has led to calls for accountability from the Kremlin.