Allies fear that the mysterious disappearance of prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny from his penal colony may lead to dire consequences, including potential harm orchestrated by the Kremlin.
The outspoken opposition leader, currently serving a 19-year sentence on fraud convictions, was last seen by his lawyers on December 6, prompting an immediate alert from allies concerned about his well-being, as per Mail Online.
Alexei Navalny's Vanishing Act Raises Alarms
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears on a screen set up at a hall of the Moscow Regional Court via a video link from Moscow's penal detention centre Number 1 (known as Matrosskaya Tishina) during a court hearing of an appeal against his arrest, in Krasnogorsk outside Moscow on January 28, 2021. Navalny, 44, was detained on January 17 upon returning to Moscow after five months in Germany recovering from a near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent and later jailed for 30 days while awaiting trial for violating a suspended sentence he was handed in 2014.
The disclosure of Navalny's transfer from Penal Colony No. 6 in the town of Melekhovo, Vladimir region, unfolded during a hearing related to a lawsuit filed by Navalny against officials at the maximum-security facility. The hearing was abruptly adjourned following this revelation.
Navalny's whereabouts, since losing contact with his lawyers on December 6, remains unknown. His spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, revealed that the politician's lawyer was informed in court that Navalny had "left the Vladimir region" on Monday, with uncertainty about his exact destination.
A document from the Vladimir branch of the State Penitentiary Service, cited during the hearing, stated that Navalny left the penal colony "for a correctional facility located outside the Vladimir region." However, no specifics about the destination were provided.
Navalny, serving a 19-year term on charges of extremism, was expected to be transferred to a high-security "special regime" penal colony known for its stringent conditions within the Russian penitentiary system.
Russian prison transfers, recognized for their protracted timelines, pose challenges in accessing information about prisoners during the process. Navalny could potentially be moved to various penal colonies across Russia.
The opposition leader, detained since January 2021, has been a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, leading campaigns against official corruption and organizing significant anti-Kremlin protests. His arrest followed his return from Germany, where he recovered from nerve agent poisoning that he attributed to the Kremlin.
Despite Navalny's rejection of charges as politically motivated, he has faced three prison terms and endured months in isolation for alleged minor infractions, according to The Washington Times.
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Global Concerns Rise Over Navalny's Disappearance
Recent developments, including lawyers being denied access to Navalny, undelivered letters, and his absence from scheduled court hearings, have heightened concerns. Yarmysh disclosed that Navalny fell ill, apparently fainting "out of hunger," and is enduring harsh conditions, including minimal outdoor time and deprivation of food.
Navalny's allies, anticipating his transfer to a "special regime" colony, the most severe in Russia's prison system, raised the alarm about his disappearance and the lack of contact with lawyers since December 6.
The process of transporting prisoners across Russia, often taking weeks, makes it challenging for lawyers and families to obtain information about the location and well-being of individuals until they reach their destination.
Sota. Vision, an online Russian-language news outlet, reported on a note from the prison service in the Vladimir region during a court session on Friday. The note stated that Navalny left Penal Colony No. 6 for a facility outside the Vladimir region in accordance with a Moscow City Court verdict.
Navalny's arrival at the new facility, undisclosed in the note, will be revealed within the framework of current legislation. However, Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, expressed uncertainty about his location and emphasized that lawyers have not been allowed to meet with him since December 6.
The disappearance of Navalny, who voluntarily returned to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he received treatment for nerve agent poisoning, has drawn international concern. The United States, deeply worried about Navalny's well-being, reminded Russian authorities of their responsibility for his safety.
Despite Kremlin denials of tracking individual prisoners' movements, the situation underscores the ongoing tension between the Kremlin and dissenting voices in Russia, emphasizing the challenges faced by opposition figures, South China Morning Post reported.
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