Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Dead At 47

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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died at a Russian prison in the Arctic Circle, prison services said on Friday.

Navalny is believed to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s harshest critic in the last decade, and was serving a 19-year jail term for convictions largely seen to be politically motivated, the BBC reported. He allegedly fell ill while taking a walk around the prison, and died shortly thereafter.

“The emergency doctors declared the prisoner dead. Cause of death is being established,” a statement from the prison read. (LEARN MORE: Gen Z Needs To Be ‘Bold’)

His Spokesperson Has No Confirmation Of Death

A spokesperson for Navalny said that they have had no confirmation of the leader’s death at the time of writing. “Alexei’s lawyer is currently on his way to Kharp. As soon as we have some information, we will report on it,” the spokesperson said on Twitter.

The prison where Navalny was being held is seen by most as a “prison colony.” It’s known as “Polar Wolf,” and is one of the toughest prisons in the world. (LEARN MORE: GOP Impeaches Mayorkas Over Border)

Navalny’s team lost contact with him around Dec 5., when he was being held in a prison just 145 miles outside of Moscow. No one heard from him until he arrived in Kharp around Christmas, Fox News reported.

This is an evolving story. We will share updates as they become available.

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