Reports from Russian authorities on Friday that imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died are absolutely shocking said Mariana Katzarova, the first ever UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert on Russia, prompting her to ask a simple question: "Who is next?"
Speaking exclusively to UN News, she said her office had raised repeated concerns over the past months, among them, over Mr. Navalny's deteriorating health.
Arrested in 2021, the 47-year-old anti-corruption activist was serving multiple sentences on charges, including extremism.
"It's very shocking that this happened today less than a month before the Russian presidential election, and it really sends shockwaves to everybody in Russia and to everybody around the world who is concerned about the increasing repression against government critics in the Russian Federation," she said.
