Department of Foreign Affairs summons Russian Ambassador to 'express outrage' over Alexei Navalny's death

File image of Russian Ambassador Yuri Filatov

THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs yesterday summoned the Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yuri Filatov to “express outrage” at the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The 47-year-old Kremlin critic was serving a 19-year prison sentence in the Arctic when authorities announced his death last week.

The prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region, in North-Western Russia, said in a statement that Navalny “felt bad after a walk” and almost immediately lost consciousness.

Navalny died after spending more than three years behind bars, prompting outrage and condemnation from Western leaders and his supporters.

The DFA summoned Filatov yesterday to “reiterate that ultimate responsibility for his death rests with Russian leadership”.

The DFA also called for a “full, independent and transparent investigation”.

Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin last week said Navalny’s death “underpins the lack of respect for the rule of law and protection of human rights in Russia, and is a reminder of the repressive nature of the regime against its own people”.

Martin also noted that Ireland “had consistently called for Navalny’s unconditional release before his death”.