DFA summons Russian Ambassador over Navalny death

The Department of Foreign Affairs has called for a 'full, independent, and transparent investigation' into the Russian opposition leader's death

The Russian ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov. File Picture

The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador to Ireland yesterday to "express outrage" at the death of Russian lawyer and activist, Alexei Navalny.

The department also said it reiterated to Ambassador Yuri Filatov that "ultimate responsibility" for Mr Navalny's death rests "with Russian leadership".

Alexei Navalny's death was announced last Friday. According to the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, the 47-year-old died after collapsing and losing consciousness during walk. The Russian opposition leader had been serving a 19-year sentence in corrective colony FKU IK-3, a maximum security prison in the Russian Arctic. 

An exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

His death prompted outrage from western leaders, who said that Russian leadership bears responsibility for his death.

Mr Navalny rose to prominence more than a decade ago due to his campaigns against high-level corruption in Russia. He helped foment protests in Russia in 2011 and 2012, and also ran for the position of mayor of Moscow in 2013.

Alexei Navalny. File Picture: (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

Thereafter, he became Vladimir Putin's most vociferous critic, using his profile to investigate corruption in the Russian president's inner circle. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs has called for a "full, independent, and transparent investigation" into his death.

Speaking in the wake of news of his death, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said Mr Navalny's death "underpins the lack of respect for the rule of law and protection of human rights in Russia".

He also said it served as "a reminder of the repressive nature of the regime against its own people".

On Tuesday, the European Union also summoned Russia's representative to the EU and called for an investigation into Mr Navalny's death.

The EU's diplomatic service said that the "EU side conveyed the EU's outrage over the death of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, for which the ultimate responsibility lies with President [Vladimir] Putin and the Russian authorities."

The EU also urged Russian authorities to release Mr Navalny's body to his family without further delay.