Finland condoles at Navalny’s death, holds Russia responsible

Finnish leaders on Friday expressed profound shock at the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and held Russia responsible for the death inside the prison.

President Sauli Niinistö, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, president-elect Alexander Stubb, Vice-President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed their reactions over the death in social media where they extended condolence and empathy to the family members of the deceased.

“I am deeply saddened and shocked by the news of Aleksey Navalny’s death in prison. Russia bears responsibility. I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” President Sauli Niinistö wrote in a post in his social media platform X on Friday afternoon.

Terming the death of Navalny as a devastating news, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that Navalny dedicated his life to fight for democracy and freedom.

“Russia bears full responsibility…... My deepest condolences to his family and nearest,” the Premier wrote in social media platform X.

President-elect Alexander Stubb wrote in his post in X that sad news reached to them in Munich, adding that Navalny lost his life defending freedom and democracy in his country.

“Russia bears responsibility. My thoughts are with Navalny's family and friends,” wrote Stubb.

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen also termed the death of Navalny as a devastating news to her.

“If confirmed, Russia bears the responsibility. Navalny sacrificed his life for the right to stand for election. Evidently, what autocrats most fear is people’s freedom to choose. My condolences to Navalny‘s family,” Valtonen wrote in her social media platform X.

Vice-President of the European Parliament and former Minister for International Development and State Ownership Steering Heidi Hautala was the first Finnish leader who expressed condolence in social media at the death of the Russian opposition leader.

“I'm deeply shocked about the death of Alexei Navalny, EP Sakharov laureate. We have continuously raised concerns of his conviction and prison conditions. My heartfelt condolences to his family. Solely the Kremlin is responsible for his terrible death,” Hautala wrote.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic Circle jail on Friday, Russian prison service said.

Earlier in August, Navalny was sent to another 19 years imprisonment, which was termed by Finland politically motivated.

Three years have passed since the assassination attempt through poisoning of Navalny on 20 August 2020 in Russia by using a toxic nerve agent of the “Novichok” group, banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which the Russian Federation is a State Party.

Earlier in 2021, the then Prime Minister and Foreign Minister protested the prison sentence of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny when he was sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment.