World On Navalny

 From DW:

“Navalny: World reacts to news of Kremlin critic's death”

The Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny had "felt bad after a walk," prison officials have said. His allies have said they had no confirmation of his death. DW has more.

US says Russia 'responsible' for death of Navalny Russia is "responsible" for the death in prison of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. "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," Blinken said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany. "Russia is responsible for this," he added. Earlier, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States is actively seeking confirmation of Navalny's death.  "If it's confirmed, it is a terrible tragedy," Sullivan told US broadcaster National Public Radio. Sullivan also added the Kremlin's "long and sordid" history of harming its opponents "raises real and obvious questions about what happened here."

EU says Putin solely responsible for Navalny death The European Union said it holds Russian President Vladimir Putin solely responsible for the death in prison of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.  EU top diplomat Josep Borrell called Navalny "a very brave man who dedicated his life to save the honor of Russia, giving hope to democrats and civil society." "While awaiting further information, let’s be clear: this is Putin’s sole responsibility," Borrell wrote on X, formerly Twitter. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the news of Navalny's death was "a grim reminder of what Putin and his regime are all about." "Putin fears nothing more than dissent from his own people," Von der Leyen wrote on X. Meanwhile, the head of the European Parliament, which gave Navalny its top rights prize in 2021, said his "courage will echo through generations." "Russia took his freedom and his life, but not his dignity. His struggle for democracy lives on," European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said.

Rights campaigner Orlov calls for accountability Russian rights campaigner Oleg Orlov has said Navalny dying in prison was a "crime of the regime." "It is a crime of the regime. It is glaringly obvious," Orlov said while leaving a court in Moscow, where he was on trial for denouncing the war in Ukraine. "It is a killing. It is a crime and I hope that people will bear responsibility — legal responsibility — sooner or later." Orlov is the 70-year-old co-chair of the Nobel Prize-winning Memorial group, having spent much of his life documenting rights abuses — in the Soviet era and more recent times.

European Council chief hails 'ultimate sacrifice' European Council President Charles Michel says leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny died for his ideals. "Fighters die. But the fight for freedom never ends," Michel tweeted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Michel said Navalny fought for the "values of freedom and democracy" and made "the ultimate sacrifice" for his ideals.  "I extend my deepest condolences to his family. And to those who fight for democracy around the world in the darkest conditions," he added.

Pro-peace Nadezhdin says hopes information is untrue Russian anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin said he was praying that information about Navalny's death would prove untrue. "Navalny is one of the most talented and courageous people in Russia," Nadezhdin wrote in his channel on the Telegram messaging app. Russian election officials last week rejected the presidential candidacy of liberal opposition figure and anti-war activist Nadezhdin. The 60-year-old Nadezhdin had been seen as the best hope for the opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Navalny was deliberately killed, German foreign minister says German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny had died because he was a symbol for a free and democratic Russia, implying that he had been deliberately killed. "Like no one else, Alexei Navalny was a symbol for a free and democratic Russia," Baerbock wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "That is precisely the reason he had to die." "My thoughts are with his wife and children," she added.

Zelenskyy says Putin must be held accountable for Navalny's death Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of the murder of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. "Obviously, Navalny was killed by Putin, like so many thousands of others. Putin doesn't care who dies and seeks to maintain his position," the Ukrainian leader said at the joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. "Putin has to be held accountable," Zelenskyy added.

NATO chief: Russia must answer 'serious questions' NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he was "deeply saddened and disturbed" by the reports that Navalny had died. "We need to establish all the facts, and Russia needs to answer all the serious questions about the circumstances of his death," Stoltenberg said. Navalny was in prison since January 2021, when he returned to Russia after recovering in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin

Germany's Scholz says Navalny 'paid for his courage with his life' German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was "very sad" about reports on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in jail, saying it was a "terrible" sign of how Russia as a country had changed in recent years. "He’s probably paid for his courage with his life," German chancellor said of Navalny. "I met Navalny in Berlin and talked to him about his courage to return to Russia," Scholz pointed out at the joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. "Russia long ago stopped being a democracy," Sholz added. Later, German Chancellor wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that this terrible news "shows once again how Russia has changed and what kind of regime is in power in Moscow."

UK PM Sunak salutes 'fiercest advocate for Russian democracy' British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has paid tribute to the Russian opposition leader, describing reports of his death as "terrible news." "As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life," Sunak said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "My thoughts are with his wife and the people of Russia, for whom this is a huge tragedy."

'His warning should have been heeded much earlier,' German health minister says German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach was among the first German politicians to pay tribute to Navalny. "Today we no longer talk about heroes, but for me Navalny was a hero," said Lauterbach. "Through his resistance, he made it clear to the world early on that Putin is a ruthless criminal in office. His warning should have been heeded much earlier rest in peace."

France says Navalny paid with his life for resisting 'Russian oppression' France said that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny had paid with his life for resisting the Russian regime. "Alexei Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression," French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said on X, formerly Twitter. "His death at a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin's regime," Sejourne said, expressing condolences to Navalny's family and the Russian people.

Latvian president says Navalny was 'brutally murdered' by Kremlin Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said on X on Friday that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was "brutally murdered by the Kremlin." "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," he wrote. "My condolences to the family and friends," Rinkevics added. Navalny was previously poisoned with Russian nerve agent Novichok in 2020, causing him to fall into a coma and be flown to Germany for treatement. He eventually recovered and returned to Russia.

^ He was one of the hopes to bring Democracy to Russia. It shows Putin is scared of his future.  ^

https://www.dw.com/en/navalny-world-reacts-to-news-of-kremlin-critics-death/live-68275805