Navalny’s whereabouts are unknown and Russian prison says he’s no longer there, a spokeswoman says

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Alexei Navalny’s current whereabouts have become a matter of mystery, with the penal colony where he was serving his sentence indicating that he is no longer listed as an inmate, according to statements made by the politician’s spokesperson. After nearly a week of unsuccessful attempts to establish contact with him, this development raises concerns about his status.

Kira Yarmysh, in her updates shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), revealed that prison authorities have chosen not to disclose the location to which Navalny has been transferred. Even a lawyer awaiting him at another penal colony in the same region was informed that no such inmate was present there, further deepening the mystery surrounding his location.

At present, the precise whereabouts of Alexei Navalny remain unclear, leaving his associates and legal representatives in a state of uncertainty.

It is worth noting that Navalny had been serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism in a maximum-security prison, specifically, Penal Colony No. 6, located in Melekhovo, within the Vladimir region, approximately 230 kilometers east of Moscow. His impending transfer was to a “special security” penal colony, known for its highest level of security within the Russian penitentiary system.

The process of transferring inmates within the Russian prison system is notorious for its protracted duration, often spanning weeks. During this period, access to prisoners is restricted, and information about their whereabouts remains limited or entirely unavailable. Navalny could potentially be relocated to any number of such high-security penal colonies situated throughout Russia.

In earlier developments on the same day, Kira Yarmysh disclosed that Navalny was scheduled to appear in court via video link but failed to do so. It has now been six days since any communication has been received from the opposition leader or his legal team.

Alexei Navalny, aged 47, has been in detention since January 2021. As a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, he focused his efforts on combating official corruption and organizing significant anti-Kremlin protests. His imprisonment followed his return to Moscow from Germany, where he had been recovering from nerve agent poisoning, an incident he attributed to the Kremlin.

Since then, Navalny has faced multiple prison sentences and endured extended periods of isolation within the penal colony in the Vladimir region, all of which he has consistently contested as being politically motivated.

Recently, Kira Yarmysh raised concerns about Navalny’s health, reporting that he had fallen ill. She described an incident in which he felt dizzy and collapsed to the floor, prompting prison officials to attend to him, placing him on a bed and providing intravenous treatment. The cause of this episode remains unknown, but given his limited access to food, confinement in a poorly ventilated cell, and minimal outdoor time, it appears to be associated with hunger. Yarmysh added that subsequent lawyer visits indicated that he was in relatively stable condition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Navalny’s Whereabouts

More about Navalny’s Whereabouts

• Alexei Navalny’s Disappearance – Al Jazeera
• Navalny’s Imprisonment and Political Activism – Reuters
• Russian Penal Colony System – The Guardian
• Navalny’s Health Concerns – Associated Press