Russia responsible for Navalny’s death, UN rights expert says
The U.N. human rights expert on Russia, Mariana Katzarova, stated that the Russian government is responsible for Alexei Navalny’s death, which occurred either due to being killed in prison or from detention conditions equating to torture. Navalny died on February 16 in an Arctic prison, with Russia’s spy chief claiming he died a natural death. Katzarova expressed concern for other detainees in Russia, including opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, fearing they might face the same fate as Navalny. The Kremlin has denied accusations from Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, that President Vladimir Putin had Navalny killed. Yulia Navalnaya has called for a massive election day protest against Putin on March 17, citing public support for Navalny’s cause since his death.