Navalny, 47, died while in a jail about 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been sentenced to 19 years under a “special regime”.
“Make no mistake – Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” Biden said in remarks from the White House yesterday.
The death of Navalny, once Putin’s most significant political challenger, is a watershed moment for Russia’s shattered pro-democracy movement, which has largely been jailed or driven into exile since the Ukraine invasion of 2022.
Although Navalny and his many supporters expected he could die behind bars, few thought it would be so soon . Reports of his death sent a shock wave of anger and disbelief through the ranks of his supporters, including his family.
“I don’t know whether to believe the terrible news,” his wife, Yulia, said during a speech at the Munich Security Conference. “But if it is true, then I would like Putin, his staff , his friends, his government to know that they will be punished for what they’ve done with our country, my family and my husband. They will be brought to justice, and that day will come very soon.”
Navalny’s death raises questions over what tools the west still has to constrain or punish Putin, who has faced sanctions since 2022 and has been indicted by the international criminal court for the abduction of Ukrainian children.
Biden in 2021 promised "devastating" consequences for Russia if Navalny were to die behind bars, but it is not clear what could restrain Putin from a further crackdown against Navalny's supporters in Russia and abroad.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin February 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin February 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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