On Friday, we learned with tremendous sadness and anger that Aleksey Navalny, one of the boldest critics against Vladimir Putin, reportedly has died in a Russian prison after years of unjust detention and inhumane conditions. We may not yet know how he died, but we know why: In Putin's Russia, there is no tolerance for the opposition that Navalny represented as he fought against Putin's corrupt and brutal regime.
Our hearts go out to Navalny's family members, who lost a father, a husband, and a son in the fight for a better future for Russia. Countless times, the Kremlin tried to silence him - poisoning him, torturing him, and ultimately moving him to a remote prison north of the Arctic Circle. But Navalny continued his tireless fight for a better Russia, criticizing Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, revealing the Putin regime's systemic corruption, and working relentlessly for an alternative future for his country.
Together with our allies and partners, the United States will continue to advocate for the release of all who are unjustly detained. And we will continue to support Russians who are standing up to the cruelty and corruption of the Putin regime and demanding a government that is more democratic and responsive to its citizens.
Navalny will be remembered by the world as a man of immense dignity who was fiercely dedicated to his country. The United States calls for a full, independent investigation into his death. And Putin should know that Navalny's movement - and legacy - will only grow larger.
