Russian prosecutors in the Arctic Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district have reversed a previous decision not to investigate the sudden death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny in prison.
The announcement came from Navalny's close associate, Ivan Zhdanov, on Tuesday.
Zhdanov shared a document from the Prosecutor General’s Office in the district where Navalny died, which stated that the initial refusal by the regional Investigative Committee to open a criminal case was "unlawful."
The case materials will now be sent to the major crimes unit of the Investigative Committee in the region.
“This doesn’t mean they will definitely open a criminal case,” Zhdanov explained, as reported by Novaya Gazeta. “It means the investigation will continue. They might try to present Navalny’s death in a different way, or the investigation could drag on indefinitely.”
Earlier, Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, received a document in July that claimed his death was not “criminal” but caused by "arrhythmia" due to a “combination of illnesses,” including hypertension and herpes.
Both Navalnaya and Navalny’s personal doctor, Alexander Polupan, have strongly doubted this explanation. Polupan is calling the findings "nonsense."
Last month, over 180 Russian doctors signed an open letter urging the Investigative Committee to open a criminal case into the actions of prison staff at the Arctic penal colony where Navalny died. The letter suggested that his death may have been due to "negligence" and a lack of proper medical care.
The decision to reopen the investigation brings new attention to the circumstances of Navalny’s death and whether justice will be served in this high-profile case.
