5:43 p.m
“He died slowly”: Alexei Navalny’s French lawyer pays tribute to the memory of the Russian opponent
“He was the embodiment of dignity.” As a guest of BFMTV, Alexei Navalny's French lawyer praised a man who was “extremely kind, lovable, attentive to others and full of gratitude to his lawyers and his teams.”
“He worked full-time in the service of others, which makes him righteous,” adds William Bourdon.
“He died slowly, with death on his heels,” while in Russia “he embodied the possibility of free change in his last years alone,” the lawyer laments.
As for the causes of Alexei Navalny's death, William Bourdon believes that “anything is possible with Vladimir Putin,” adding that the opponent was “very weakened by the extremely harsh prison conditions.”
17:24
The Kremlin considers Western allegations about the death of Alexei Navalny to be “completely unacceptable”
The Kremlin considers Western accusations about Alexei Navalny's death to be “completely unacceptable” while ensuring that it does not immediately learn the cause of death.
“There is no information about the cause of death and yet such statements follow each other (…) We consider such statements to be absolutely unacceptable,” explains Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Vladimir Putin.
16:52
For Ursula von der Leyen “the world has lost a freedom fighter in Alexei Navalny”
“Vladimir Putin fears nothing other than the dissent of his own people. It is a grim reminder of what Putin and his regime are,” reacted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said she was “deeply disturbed and saddened.” by the death of Alexei Navalny.
“The world has lost a freedom fighter in Alexei Navalny,” she added.
16:44
Justin Trudeau calls Vladimir Putin a “monster”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls Vladimir Putin a “monster.”
“It's a tragedy that reminds the whole world that Putin is a monster,” he told public broadcaster CBC, believing that Alexei Navalny's death “shows how harshly Putin will oppress anyone who stands up for him.” the freedom of the Russian people is fighting.” “
16:41
The Moscow authorities warn Russians against demonstrations
Prosecutors have warned Russian citizens not to take part in protests in central Moscow as calls to take to the streets grow online.
16:36
Rallies organized in front of Russian embassies
The first rallies are being organized to denounce the death of Alexei Navalny. People gathered in front of Russian embassies in London and Berlin.
In addition, the organization “Russia Libertés” is also calling for people to go to the Russian embassy in Paris to protest against the Kremlin regime.
16:19
The French political class condemns the death of Alexei Navalny
The French political class condemns the death of the Russian enemy. Alexei “was courage incarnate” and “that’s exactly why” “Putin and his henchmen imprisoned him, deported him and then killed him,” replied Raphaël Glucksmann, Member of the European Parliament to X.
“A planned, wanted and provoked death. Putin's supporters can no longer brag: their blindness is punishable,” denounced Marie Toussaint, head of the European Ecologists List.
For the first secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure, “Nawalny died murdered by a system that allows no contradiction”.
Valérie Pécresse praises “the heroism of her fight for freedom” as François Bayrou calls Vladimir Putin a “dictator.”
16:03
Insoumise France condemns the Russian regime and the “systematic repression” of Vladimir Putin
For its part, La France insoumise condemned “the systematic repression of the opposition in Russia” and “the reality of the Putin regime” and called on France to “remain a country of asylum” for “political opponents who are now imprisoned.” Russia”.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who has often been very critical of Alexei Navalny in the past, denounced a “crime” and pointed the finger at “their repression by the Russian authorities.”
“Honor to Navalny’s memory transcends disagreements. Honor for his resistance,” he wrote.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon described him in 2018 as a “liberal opponent strongly influenced by anti-Semitism”.
16:01
“Human rights and freedoms”, “democracy”… The National Assembly reacts to the death of Alexei Navalny
National Rally President Jordan Bardella said on X that it was “tragic news for all defenders of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
After him, Marine Le Pen soberly expressed her condolences to the family of this “political activist committed to the defense of democracy”.
On the eve of the second round of the 2022 French presidential election, Alexei Navalny called for people to vote for Emmanuel Macron and accused his rival Marine Le Pen's party of compromising with Vladimir Putin.
15:58
The UN is “outraged” by Navalny’s death and calls for an “end to the persecutions”
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is “outraged” by the death of Alexei Navalny in prison and calls for an “end to the persecution” in Russia.
“All those detained or sentenced to various custodial sentences for the lawful exercise of their rights, in particular the right to freedom of assembly and peaceful expression, must be released immediately and all charges against them dropped,” the statement said Requirements.
15:54
Russian diplomacy rejects “unwanted accusations” from the USA
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday accused Washington of “cookie-cutter” accusations after American diplomacy chief Antony Blinken called Moscow “responsible” for the death of opponent Alexei Navalny in custody.
“Instead of making blanket accusations, it would be better to exercise restraint and wait for the official results of the medical report,” said a press release from Russian diplomacy.
3:31 p.m
Alexei Navalny's French lawyer pays tribute to “a righteous person”
Alexei Navalny's French lawyer praised “a fair man” with “extraordinary courage” who had a “sharp and tragic clarity” about “the significant risks he took in entering Russia.”
In a press release sent to AFP, William Bourdon greets “an extraordinary man” whom he met in particular “in October 2020 in Berlin (…), when he had just left the hospital where he had been treated for the consequences of the poisoning .” which almost killed him.
For Me Bourdon, Navalny was “Putin’s prisoner, who, at the end of an incarceration of deliberate and cruel cruelty, today achieved his goals after leaving him to die slowly.”
In France, he had notably supported Navalny in the slanderous denunciation proceedings that he had initiated together with his brother against the Rocher group because he believed that the cosmetics company had wrongly accused them of fraud in Russia.
15:22
“Anger and indignation”: Emmanuel Macron honors “the memory of Alexei Navalny”
Emmanuel Macron honors “the memory of Alexei Navalny, his commitment, his courage”. The head of state accuses Russia of condemning “free spirits” to death.
15:18
Alexei Navalny's wife wants Vladimir Putin punished “if the news is confirmed”
Alexei Navalny's wife spoke at a press conference. “I don’t know whether to believe this terrible news or not,” she said.
“If the news is confirmed, I want Vladimir Putin and his regime to be brought to justice,” she said.
“We cannot believe Putin’s government. She continues to lie. But if it is the truth, I want Putin and all his friends to know that they will be punished for what they did to my country, my family and my husband,” Yulia Navalnaya said.
3:09 p.m
Alexei Navalny's mother “doesn't want to hear condolences”
Alexei Navalny's mother made the comments in a Facebook post reported by the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and DW.
“I don’t want to hear condolences. We saw our son in the colony on the 12th and had an appointment. He was alive, healthy, happy,” Lyudmila Navalnaya wrote.
14:51
A “sign of Vladimir Putin’s brutality”: The USA considers Russia “responsible”
For Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, the death of Alexei Navalny is a “sign of Vladimir Putin’s brutality.”
“No matter what story they tell, let’s be clear: Russia is responsible,” she said.
For his part, the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, considers Russia “responsible” for the situation that led to the death of opponent Alexei Navalny and underlines the “weakness and corruption” of Vladimir Putin's system.
2:42 p.m
According to a local hospital, doctors tried to revive Alexei Navalny for more than 30 minutes
Russian doctors tried for more than 30 minutes to revive Russian opponent Alexei Navalny, whose death in prison was announced on Friday, the Interfax news agency said from a local hospital.
“The doctors who arrived on the scene continued the resuscitation measures already carried out by the prison doctors. They continued for more than 30 minutes. However, the patient died,” a public hospital in Labytnangui town said.
2:33 p.m
Angela Merkel dismayed by the death of Alexei Navalny, “who was silenced using terrible methods”
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “extremely dismayed” by the death of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny, a “brave voice (…) silenced by her mother’s terrible methods.”
“I was extremely saddened to learn of Alexei Navalny’s death. He was a victim of the repressive violence of the Russian state,” she said in a press release.
“It is terrible that a brave, fearless and committed voice for her country has been silenced by terrible methods,” she continued.
14:24
Alexei Navalny's last post on Instagram was a Valentine's Day message for his wife
Despite his imprisonment in a remote penal colony in the Arctic, Alexei Navalny continued to communicate on social networks through his lawyers.
His last post on his Instagram account was on Wednesday, Valentine's Day. He had sent a message to his wife Julia Navalny.
“There are cities, airport lights, snowstorms and thousands of miles separating us. But I feel like you are with me every second and I love you more and more,” he wrote.
2:14 p.m
Pictures from Alexei Navalny's last public appearance the day before his death
Images of Alexei Navalny from yesterday, on the eve of his death, were broadcast by local media and subsequently authenticated. The Russian opponent appeared during a court hearing.
In the video you can see Alexei Navalny laughing and joking with the judge via video link. Ironically, he said his bank account was already empty and the court rulings would further impoverish it.
2:07 p.m
Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov calls Alexei Navalny's death a “murder”
Russian 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov described the death of opponent Alexei Navalny in prison as “murder” and “terrible news”.
“The murder has been added to Alexei Navalny's punishment,” denounced the editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta in a message published by this medium, which was banned in Russia in 2022 after Moscow's attack on Ukraine.
2:03 p.m
For the White House “it will be a terrible tragedy if (Alexei Navalny's death) is confirmed”
The death of Russian adversary Alexei Navalny “is a terrible tragedy if confirmed,” reacted American national security adviser Jake Sullivan in an interview with NPR Radio.
“Given the Russian government's long and dirty approach to harming its adversaries, questions obviously arise about what just happened,” he continued, adding that Washington was trying to confirm the information from its side before “about the further course of action will be decided.”
1:50 p.m
Why was Alexei Navalny imprisoned?
Alexei Navany has been imprisoned since 2021. The 47-year-old activist was serving a 19-year sentence for “extremism” in a remote Arctic penal colony under very difficult conditions.
He was originally sentenced to three and a half years in prison for embezzlement. In February 2022, he was tried again, this time accused of stealing millions of dollars in donations to his political organizations.
He was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in a “strict regime penal colony.”
In August last year that sentence was increased to 19 years after he was found guilty of setting up and financing an “extremist organisation”, which he denied.
13:36
NATO chief says Russia 'must answer serious questions'
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg believes Russia needs to answer “serious questions” about the death of Alexei Navalny.
“I am deeply saddened and worried (…) all facts must be clarified and Russia must answer serious questions,” he said after this death. He said on the sidelines of the security conference in Munich, Germany.
13:28
For Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin “must be held accountable for his crimes”
Reacting to the announcement of Alexei Navalny's death, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Vladimir Putin “must be held accountable for his crimes.”
“It is obvious to me that (Alexei Navalny), like thousands of others who were tortured to death, was killed because of one person, Putin, who did not do it. “I don’t care who dies, as long as he keeps his position,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
13:26
Vladimir Putin “fears all competition”: Kiev reacts to the announcement of the death of Alexei Navalny
Russian President Vladimir Putin “fears all competition” and only understands “violence,” denounced the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andrië Iermak, after the announcement of the death of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny in prison.
“Putin is the absolute evil who fears all competition. The lives of Russians mean nothing to him,” he wrote on Telegram.
“There can be no negotiations with him. The only language he understands is that of violence,” adds Andriï Iermak.
1:20 p.m
How did Alexey Navany become Vladimir Putin's number 1 opponent?
Within a dozen years, lawyer Alexei Navalny, who for a time flirted with nationalism, established himself as Vladimir Putin's number one critic by denouncing the corruption of Russian power.
He first became known for his involvement in organizing large opposition demonstrations in 2011 and 2012, which were ultimately suppressed. In 2013 he came second in the Moscow local elections.
He was poisoned in Siberia in August 2020, in the middle of the campaign for the regional elections, and was transferred to Germany for treatment.
He rejected any idea of exile and returned to Russia on January 17, 2021, with the certainty that he would be arrested there. As soon as he arrived at the airport, he was arrested in front of cameras around the world and subsequently sentenced to 19 years in prison.
13:13
The European Union holds “the Russian regime” “solely responsible”
The European Union holds “the Russian regime” “solely responsible for the tragic death” of Alexei Navalny, said European Council President Charles Michel.
“Alexei Navalny fought for the values of freedom and democracy. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his ideals (…) I extend my sincere condolences to his family and to all those fighting for democracy around the world. The fighters.” “Die, but the fight for freedom never ends,” he said on X (formerly Twitter).
12:58
Foreign diplomats condemn Russia's role
Moscow bears “grave responsibility” for the death of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny on Friday in an Arctic prison where he was serving a 19-year sentence, the Norwegian foreign minister believes.
The opponent has “just been brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” says the President of Latvia.
12:57
France pays tribute to man who 'paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression'
On X, the Foreign Minister commented on the announced death of Navalny. Stéphane Séjourné expressed his condolences on behalf of France.
“Alexei Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression. His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin's regime. France expresses its condolences to his family, loved ones and the Russian people.”
12:55
Alexei Navalny's lawyers are not confirming his death at this time
Navalny's team has not yet been informed of his death. One of his lawyers is headed to prison, a spokesman quoted by Agence France Presse said.
12:54
Russian political opponent Alexei Navalny announced his death, but his lawyers did not confirm the information
Hello everyone and welcome to this live broadcast on the death of Russian political opponent Alexei Navalny. Russian prison authorities announced his death this afternoon, citing state propaganda agencies.
“On February 16, 2024, inmate Navalny AA in Penitentiary No. 3 felt unwell after a walk,” the FSIN of the Arctic Yamal region said in a press release. ©.