Dutch PM Rutte blames Russia for opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death at 47

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is “shocked” by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death. “It illustrates the unprecedented brutality of the Russian regime,” Rutte said on X.

Navalny, 47, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s best-known critic, had been imprisoned in Russia since January 2021. The regional prison authorities reported his death on Friday, saying he had become unwell while walking.

Nalvaniy’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, said on X that she could not yet confirm his death - his lawyer was on the way to the prison to verify the claims.

Navalny was serving a years-long prison sentence after a mock trial in which a Russian court had convicted him of “creating an extremist movement,” NOS reports. There had been serious concerns about Nalvany’s health for some time due to the conditions he was held in.

“Navalny fought for democratic values and against corruption. He had to pay for this struggle with death while he was held under the most harsh and inhumane conditions,” Rutte said. “I wish his family, loved ones, and everyone who fought with him for change in Russia a lot of strength.”

Outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Hanke Bruins Slot also called Navalny's death "shocking" news. "He fought against corruption and democracy in Russia. And he has now simply had to pay for it with his death," she told ANP after the weekly Cabinet meeting. According to her, the opposition leader's death is "yet more proof that Putin's regime is horrible" and that "Russia is not a democracy" - the opposition in the country is "a farce."

The opposition leader was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport near Moscow in January 2021. A few months earlier, he barely survived an attack in Russia with the nerve agent Novichok.