The UK has imposed sanctions on six individuals in charge of IK-3 penal colony; the Arctic penal colony where Russian opposition leader. Alexei Navalny died last week.
According to Russian authorities, Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly on Friday, February 16, 2024, after a walk at the penal colony where he was serving a sentence.
Navalny was arrested in January 2021 upon returning to Moscow after being treated for poisoning in a Berlin hospital.
In August 2021, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison for extremism and other crimes. He was already serving an 11-year and five-month sentence for fraud.
Western nations and Navalny’s supporters claim that Russian President, Vladimir Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.
However, the Kremlin has denied involvement and said claims the Russian President was responsible are unacceptable.
The UK is the first country to impose measures in response to the politician’s death.
According to the UK Foreign Office, the sanctioned are banned from the UK and their assets frozen.
The Head of the penal colony, Vadim Konstantinovich Kalinin, who allegedly oversaw the brutal prison camp where Navalny was kept in solitary confinement for up to two weeks at a time, is among those sanctioned.
Also, five Deputy Heads of the penal colony, namely, Lt Col Sergey Nikolaevich Korzhov, Lt Col Vasily Alexandrovich Vydrin, Lt Col Vladimir Ivanovich Pilipchik, Lt Col Aleksandr Vladimirovich Golyakov and Col Aleksandr Valerievich Obraztsov have also been targeted for “activity that violates the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and the right to life.”
UK Foreign Secretary, David Cameron said, “It’s clear that the Russian authorities saw Navalny as a threat and they tried repeatedly to silence him.”
“FSB operatives poisoned him with Novichok in 2020, they imprisoned him for peaceful political activities, and they sent him to an Arctic penal colony,” Cameron added.
“No-one should doubt the oppressive nature of the Russian system. That’s why we’re today sanctioning the most senior prison officials responsible for his custody in the penal colony where he spent his final months.
“Those responsible for Navalny’s brutal treatment should be under no illusion – we will hold them accountable.”
David Cameron
The Foreign Secretary also stated, “We need to adapt international rules and institutions to the challenges we face today. This means reforming the rules-based international order, not shattering it.”
“The Kremlin pays lip service to concepts like sovereignty, while openly undermining them. Unlike Russia, we match our words with actions,” he added.
UK Urges Russia To Release Navalny’s Body
Additionally, the UK Foreign Office disclosed that following Navalny’s death, the FCDO summoned a representative of the Russian government to make clear that his death must be investigated fully and transparently, and those in the Russian regime responsible held to account.
“Following news that Mr. Navalny’s family is being denied access to his body, the UK is also calling for the Russian authorities to release his body to them immediately,” the office emphasized.
The office added that Cameron will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brazil, “where he will use the opportunity to call out Russia’s aggression and its global impact directly to Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.”
Also on Wednesday, UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons during the Prime Minister’s questions session that “together with our allies we are considering all options to hold Russia and Putin to account.”
“The whole House will join me in sending our deepest condolences to the family of Alexei Navalny,” Sunak said.
Sunak added, “He died for a cause to which he dedicated his whole life, freedom. And to return home knowing that [Vladimir] Putin had already tried to have him killed was one of the most courageous acts of our time.”
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