Geneva, The United Nations Human Rights Office expressed its shock and condemnation over the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison, urging the Russian authorities to conduct a credible, independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. The office has previously voiced concerns over Navalny’s detention and the charges against him, suggesting they were arbitrary and politically motivated.

According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk had specifically criticized Navalny’s 19-year sentence last August, indicating it raised significant questions about judicial harassment and the use of the court system for political purposes in Russia. The High Commissioner had called for Navalny’s immediate release.

The UN Human Rights Office highlighted the heightened duty of states to protect the lives of individuals in custody, stating that the presumption of state responsibility for the death of a person in custody can only be countered by an impartial, thorough, and transparent investigation by an independent body. The office has demanded the Russian authorities ensure such an investigation into Navalny’s death is conducted without delay.

Furthermore, the UN Human Rights Office called on the Russian government to cease the persecution of politicians, human rights defenders, and journalists. It emphasized that all individuals detained or sentenced in relation to the legitimate exercise of their rights, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, should be immediately released and all charges against them dropped.