Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny found at prison colony in Siberia, his team says
Alexey Navalny, the prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been located at a penal colony in Siberia, his team announced. This comes two weeks after they lost contact with him, sparking concerned about his well-being and safety.
“We have found Alexey,” said his spokesperson Kira Yarmysh in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “He is now in IK-3 in the settlement of Kharp in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.”
Navalny’s lawyer visited him earlier Monday and reported that the jailed activist was “doing well.”
His disappearance had raised concerns, particularly after he was absent from two scheduled court hearings last week. His team warned that he had been in poor health, reportedly being “deprived of food” and “kept in a punishment cell without ventilation.”
Navalny’s lawyer had not been allowed into the penal colony right away, leading to speculation that the colony was prepared for his arrival in advance. The head of the Federal Penitentiary Service was reportedly there in April, suggesting that the decision to transfer Alexey there may have been made at that time.
The IK-3 penal colony in Kharp, known as “Polar Wolf,” is described as one of the northernmost and most remote colonies, with harsh conditions and no letter delivery systems. It is almost 2,000 miles from Moscow, where Navalny had previously been held.
Navalny had been sentenced to 19 years in prison in August after being found guilty of creating an extremist community, financing extremist activities, and numerous other crimes. His supporters claim his arrest and incarceration are a politically motivated attempt to stifle his criticism of President Putin.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.