McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas today issued the following statement on the untimely death and possible murder of Alexei Navalny:
“They — the Kremlin — killed Alexei Navalny, a man of tremendous courage and conviction who was one of the shining human epitomes of what Russia could be: a free and fair democracy where you don’t slowly kill your opponents in jail.
“The murder of Navalny, 47, in jail, shows how weak Putin is. As another sham and illegal Putin re-election looms on March 15-17, Putin’s most ardent critic dies. Navalny was already serving sentences of up to 30 years for speaking truth to power.
“While some of us gather here in Munich to push back and contain Putin’s illegitimate claims to a bygone sphere of influence and his warped neo-imperial demagoguery, he kills Navalny.
“Navalny’s struggle against corruption and unrelenting commitment to an open and just Russia has moved millions of people across the globe. His death is a tremendous loss, not only for his family and followers but also for the community of global human rights defenders.
“We urgently call upon the U.S. government and the international community to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the safety of all Russian dissidents, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is in danger of suffering a similar fate. We must not stand by as voices for freedom and democracy are systematically silenced.
“The United States, along with its allies, must deploy every possible diplomatic and economic lever to press the Russian government into complying with the dictates of the rule of law, observing human rights, and ensuring political prisoners’ safety and release. The death of Navalny must serve as a wake-up call to the world about the dire consequences of inaction.
“The McCain Institute stands with those who bravely strive to uphold the basic liberties and freedoms within Russia and around the world. We remember Alexei Navalny today as we rededicate ourselves to his cause in further standing up for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.”