UK imposes sanctions on 6 Russian officials responsible for Navalny’s death in prison

The UK has decided to impose sanctions on 6 Russian officials responsible for the prison where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died.

The echoes of the death of Alexei Navalny, described as the fiercest critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, continue at the prison where he was detained on February 16. According to a statement from the UK Foreign Office, sanctions have been imposed on 6 officials of the number 3 prison in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region where Navalny died. It was stated that the assets in the UK of Vadim Konstantinovich Kalinin and other prison officials Sergey Nikolaevich Korzhov, Vasily Alexandrovich Vydrin, Vladimir Ivanovich Pilipchik, Aleksandr Vladimirovich Golyakov, and Aleksandr Valerievich Obraztsov will be frozen, and their entry into the country will be banned.

UK becomes the first country to impose sanctions due to Navalny’s death
The statement said, “The UK calls for the immediate delivery of Navalny’s body to his family and for a full and transparent investigation. Navalny’s condition worsened throughout his 3-year prison life. Navalny was also deprived of medical treatment during his time in prison. The UK is the first country to impose sanctions in response to the death of political prisoner Navalny, who dedicated his life to exposing corruption in the Russian system, calling for free and open politics, and holding the Kremlin accountable.”

“Russian officials have repeatedly tried to silence Navalny”
In his statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, “It is clear that Russian officials have seen Navalny as a threat and have repeatedly tried to silence him. Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officials poisoned Navalny with Novichok in 2020, imprisoned him for his peaceful political activities, and sent him to a penal colony in the Arctic. No one should doubt the oppressive nature of the Russian system. Therefore, today we are imposing sanctions on the top prison officials responsible for Navalny’s last months in the penal colony. Those responsible for the brutal treatment of Navalny will not escape scrutiny; we will hold them accountable.”

Western leaders hold Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible for Navalny’s death. The US is expected to announce a sanctions package against Russia on Friday due to Navalny’s death and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Previously poisoned on a plane
Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist, and lawyer Alexei Navalny was investigating corruption cases involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle. Navalny, who was poisoned on a plane in Russia in 2020 and arrested upon his return from Germany where he received treatment in 2021, was sentenced to 19 years in prison on August 4, 2023, for organizing protests by Russian opposition figures, engaging in illegal activities through the Anti-Corruption Foundation banned in Russia, speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin, and funding extremist activities. Navalny, who was sentenced to 9 years in prison and a fine of 1 million 200 thousand rubles for fraud and contempt of court in March 2022, faced a total of 5 different charges during his time in detention.

Cause of death uncertain
In the first statement made by the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) regarding Navalny’s death on February 16, it was stated, “Aleksey Navalny, a prisoner in penitentiary No. 3, felt unwell and lost consciousness after a walk on February 16. The institution’s health workers quickly arrived, and an ambulance was called. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.” While the cause of Navalny’s death was initially announced as “sudden death syndrome,” the Russian Investigative Committee stated that his body would not be handed over to his family for at least another 14 days for chemical analysis. Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, claimed that her husband’s body was being kept until traces of poisoning disappeared.