Fight against Putin

Observer: “Navalny was driven to his death”

Alexei Navalny was the main challenger to Russian President Vladimir Putin

(Bild: AP/AP, AFP)

He was the biggest challenger to Russian President Vladimir Putin and had been persecuted by the Russian authorities for years. Now Alexei Navalny has died in custody, according to the prison administration. International observers have sharply criticized the Russian regime. 

Political scientist Gerhard Mangott, for example, assumes that Navalny was driven to his death. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin will not be harmed by his death, Mangott explained on Friday. The news of Navalny's death will be kept to a minimum.

"The population will tend to do less"
"The Russian opposition will be shocked by Putin's brutality. Less will happen among the population. There will probably be small protests over the next few days, but they will remain small," says Mangott. Because criticism of the Russian government is followed by punishment. As a result, there will be few protesters on the streets. However, these protests will probably be quickly dispersed. There will also be great outrage abroad.

Navalny was regularly tortured with sleep deprivation, solitary confinement and denial of necessary medical care. Of course, that does something to a person.

Politikwissenschaftler Gerhard Mangott

Presidential election in mid-March
Mangott also does not expect Putin to suffer any damage in the presidential election in March. Although a minimum voter turnout of more than 65 percent of those eligible to vote is required for the election to be valid, "that could also be falsified", says Mangott. Nevertheless, Russians could send a signal to the government by not voting. The 2024 presidential election in Russia will take place from March 15 to 17. Elections will be held for the term of office from 2024 to 2030.

Alexei Navalny was the main challenger to Russian President Vladimir Putin

(Bild: AP/AP, AFP)

According to the prison statement, Navalny felt "unwell" after a walk on Friday. He then "almost immediately lost consciousness". The doctors who were alerted did not manage to revive the prisoner. Navalny's team has not yet confirmed the report. They last had contact with him two days ago and everything seemed to be in order.

EU blames "Russian regime" for Navalny's death
The death has caused international outrage. The EU blames the "Russian regime" for Navalny's death. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Navalny had paid for his courage "with his life". French Foreign Minister Stéphane Sejourne expressed similar sentiments. "His resistance against a system of oppression has cost him his life," explained Sejourne. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Putin must be held accountable for the death.

Russian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov spoke of "murder". The journalist said he believed that the prison conditions had led to Navalny's death. "His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin's regime."

In addition to Scholz, numerous other German politicians also expressed their horror. The Parliamentary Secretary of the FDP in the Bundestag, Johannes Vogel, declared via X: "Putin is a murderer." No one should ever be deceived about Putin's deadly brutality. SPD politician Michael Roth wrote on X: "Putin acts like a mafia godfather, in the tradition of Stalin: every now and then a contract killing to intimidate critical minds who question his omnipotence."

Years of imprisonment in a "penal colony"
Navalny had served years of imprisonment in a penal colony. His political movement was banned, close associates were imprisoned or fled abroad. In 2020, the regime of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin tried to get rid of him by means of a poison attack. Under international pressure, Navalny was brought to Germany, where he was treated at the Charité hospital in Berlin. After his recovery, Navalny decided to return to Russia, but was arrested at Moscow airport on 17 January 2021.

Last December, the politician, who was classified as a political prisoner, disappeared for several weeks. In retrospect, it turned out that the judiciary had transferred him from the European part of Russia to a prison camp in the far north of Siberia. Navalny suspected that he was to be isolated there as much as possible before the presidential election in March. The expert also assumed that Navalny had been forced out of the public eye.