West hails Alexei Navalny as ‘freedom fighter’, demand Putin to be ‘held accountable’

World leaders have reacted sharply to the news of the death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, accusing President Vladimir Putin’s regime of foul play.

On Friday, the Russian Prison Service issued a statement saying that Navalny, who had been serving a three-decade sentence on charges of extremism, collapsed and died after a walk at the ‘Polar Wolf’ Arctic penal colony.

The ‘Polar Wolf’ colony is among the harshest in Russia’s prison system, located in a place with severe winters.

Navalny, a whistleblower who rose to prominence more than a decade ago by documenting and speaking publicly alleged corruption of officials, went on to become the only opposition leader of prominence against Putin’s unchallenged rule.

Navalny’s family and some Western leaders accused Putin and the Kremlin of murdering him in jail.

Yulia, Navalny’s wife, said she could not be sure her husband was dead because “Putin and his government… lie incessantly”.

“But if this is true, I want Putin, his entire entourage, Putin’s friends, his government to know that they will bear responsibility for what they did to our country, to my family, to my husband,” Reuters quoted Yulia as saying said.

“This regime and Vladimir Putin must bear personal responsibility for all the terrible things they have been doing to my country, to our country, Russia, in recent years,” she added.

HOW THE WEST REACTED TO ALEXEI NAVALNY’s DEATH

Western leaders condoled Navalny’s death, calling him a “fighter for freedom”.

Without citing evidence, the US claimed that it was a political murder and that Putin should be held accountable for the death.

“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. Russia is responsible for this,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said shortly before meeting Navalny’s wife in Munich.

In an interview with NPR, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, “If it’s confirmed, it is a terrible tragedy. And given the Russian government’s long and sordid history of doing harm to its opponents, it raises real and obvious questions about what happened here.”

In a post on X, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, “This is terrible news. As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life.”

Meanwhile, British Foreign Minister David Cameron demanded Putin to be held accountable for Navalny’s death.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was “disturbing”, adding that it served as a warning to the rest of the world. “We express our heartfelt condolences and hope that full clarity will be revealed over this disturbing event,” Meloni said in a statement.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, “I met Navalny here in Berlin when he was trying to recover in Germany from the poisoning attack and also talked to him about the great courage it takes to return to his country. And he has probably now paid for this courage with his life.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, “It is obvious: he was killed by Putin, as thousands of others were tortured and martyred by this one ‘creature’. Putin does not care who dies as long as he keeps his position. And that is why he should not keep anything. Putin should lose everything and answer for what he has done.”

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said, “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.”

In a post on X, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said, “Deeply disturbed and saddened by news of the death of Alexei Navalny. Putin fears nothing more than dissent from his own people. A grim reminder of what Putin and his regime are all about. Let’s unite in our fight to safeguard the freedom and safety of those who dare to stand up against autocracy.”