The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yuri Filatov yesterday to “express outrage” at the death in prison of Alexei Navalny.
In an update, the Department said that it reiterated to the ambassador that “ultimate responsibility” for Mr Navalny’s death “rests with Russian leadership”.
It also called for a full, independent and transparent investigation.
The Russian opposition leader’s death was announced last Friday, when prison officials said he collapsed and lost consciousness at the penal colony north of the Arctic Circle where he was serving a long jail term.
.@dfatirl summoned the Russian Ambassador yesterday to express outrage at the death in prison of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, reiterate that ultimate responsibility for his death rests with Russian leadership, & call for a full, independent & transparent investigation. https://t.co/cNKA76JSq5
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) February 21, 2024
Mr Navalny, 47, was by far Russia’s most famous opposition leader.
He rose to prominence more than a decade ago by lampooning the elite class around President Vladimir Putin and voicing allegations of corruption on a vast scale.
The Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District said in a statement that Navalny “felt unwell” after a walk at the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp, about 1,900km north east of Moscow.
Mr Navalny, the prison service said, had lost consciousness almost immediately.
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