Alexei Navalny has been missing from Russian custody for almost two weeks. Now the US government is also concerned about the reports from the Kremlin’s opponent. However, they cannot be confirmed, said John Kirby, communications director for the National Security Council. Meanwhile, Navalny’s team offered a reward for information on his whereabouts.
“We are very concerned about these reports,” Kirby said Wednesday. He also said Navalny should never have been arrested in the first place. The US government is calling on Moscow and the Kremlin to immediately release Navalny and ensure that his family is informed of his whereabouts.
Didn’t show up for the hearing again
The 47-year-old Kremlin opponent again failed to show up for a court hearing on Monday. Navalny, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison for alleged extremism, repeatedly files lawsuits against the criminal justice system for violations of his rights. But since early December there has been no trace of him.
Look for the opposition politician
Navalny, who also survived an assassination attempt with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020, has now been in prison for almost three years. He was internationally recognized as a political prisoner. Alexei Navalny’s team in Russia is offering rewards in the search for the jailed opposition politician who has been missing for more than two weeks. Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Jarmysch told the news portal zdfheute.de on Wednesday.
Team hopes for information
“At this point we are still hopeful that someone can give us information,” she said. “Actually, other prisoners at least notice something when a prisoner is transported. There are often guards who see something.”
Lawyers last had contact with the Kremlin critic more than two weeks ago in a prison camp in the Vladimir region east of Moscow. All that is known from the Russian authorities is that he is no longer in the camp.
Transfer to another prison
Legally, there are no restrictions on how long a transfer between two prisons can take, Jarmysch said. “So anything can happen to him during this period. He is now completely at the mercy of the people who tried to kill him three years ago,” she said. In 2020, Navalny barely survived a poison attack that he attributed to Russian secret services.
Kidnapping before the presidential elections
His team sees the approaching presidential elections in Russia, in which head of state Vladimir Putin wants to be confirmed, as the reason for the kidnapping of the opposition politician. “The Kremlin did not want Alexei to make any statements during this period. That is why I am sure that Putin ordered Alexei to be transported somewhere,” Yarmysh said.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
