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Russian President Vladimir Putin

Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev / Kremlin / ZUMA Wire / IMAGO

A few days after the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in a Siberian prison camp, Russian leader Vladimir Putin promoted high-ranking prison officials. He is heavily criticized for this. The deputy head of the FSIN prison authority, Valery Boyarinev, who was promoted to colonel general of the Interior Ministry, was personally responsible for the torture of Navalny in prison, wrote the director of the Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK) founded by Navalny, Ivan Zhdanov, on his Telegram channel. "You have to understand that as Putin's open reward for the torture."

In July 2023, during a court hearing against Navalny, an order from Boyarinew became known to restrict the opposition politician from buying food and daily necessities. Normally, prisoners can use their money to supplement their own meager rations at the prison store. According to Zhdanov, the newly appointed colonel general was also responsible for further harassment of Navalny.

The 53-year-old's promotion became known on Monday with the publication of the presidential decree in the legal database. In addition to Boyarinew, three other correctional officers were promoted to the rank of general. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any connection between Navalny's death and the promotions. These are a very common occurrence, he said.

Navalny's family still has no access to the body

Alexei Navalny died on Friday in the prison camp with the unofficial name “Arctic Wolf” in the Siberian Arctic region of Yamal. According to prison authorities, the politician, who was weakened by repeated solitary confinement, collapsed during a tour of the icy prison yard and died despite attempts to resuscitate him. Navalny was 47 years old at the time of death. To this day, the authorities have denied his relatives access to his body, despite international protests. Navalny's team, which accuses the Russian power apparatus of murder, sees this as an attempted cover-up.

Navalny's wife Yulia explicitly blames Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin for her husband's death. US President Joe Biden and other Western politicians also see the Kremlin as responsible for Navalny's death.

czl/dpa