Putin refuses to allow international investigation into Navalny's death

Dmitry Peskov, the Russian President’s Press Secretary, has stated that the Kremlin will not respond to EU demands, as expressed by Josep Borrell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, for an international investigation into the circumstances of Alexei Navalny's death.

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing Peskov during a briefing on 20 February

Quote: "We do not accept such demands at all, especially from Mr Borrell."

Details: In addition, Peskov referred to accusations made by Yulia Navalnaya as "baseless and rude", particularly regarding the alleged withholding of Alexei Navalny's body to conceal evidence of his poisoning. 

The Press Secretary claimed that Vladimir Putin has not seen her video address.

Previously: 

• Earlier, Josep Borrell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called on Russia to allow a transparent investigation into Navalny's death.

Background:

• On the afternoon of 16 February, Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service reported the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at Correctional Facility No. 3 in Kharp.
• Navalny had been imprisoned since early 2021. The Moscow City Court sentenced him to 19 years in prison in a special-regime colony for "extremism" in August 2023.
• In December, the opposition leader was transferred to Correctional Facility No. 3, known as Polyarnyi Volk (Polar Wolf), which is located in Kharp in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Siberia.
• After the Russian authorities announced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death in prison, his wife Yulia accused President Vladimir Putin of murder and promised to carry on her husband's struggle.

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