World

Anti-Putin Activist Alexei Navalny Is Now Missing From Prison

‘STILL DON’T KNOW’

His team believes he may have been transferred to a special regime colony—but no one has been able to reach him.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via video link from a penal colony in the Vladimir Region during a hearing at the Basmanny district court in Moscow
Yulia Morozova/Reuters

Alexei Navalny has been removed from his jail cell, and his current location is unknown, his team said on Monday. The Russian opposition activist’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, made a Monday announcement on X, formerly Twitter, that Navalny was neither at the IK-6 nor IK-7 penal colonies. “We still don’t know where Alexey is,” she wrote. The Guardian reported that he did not appear for a recent virtual court hearing, with prison officials citing a power outage. According to the newspaper, his team believes he may have been transferred to a special regime colony following his sentencing to another 19 years in August. These prisons would reportedly restrict Navalny’s ability to meet with visitors or contact his team for years. Reuters stated that Russia typically transfers inmates by rail, which can take weeks and leave those concerned in the dark about their safety.

Read it at The Guardian