UK imposes sanctions on leaders of Arctic penal colony where Navalny died
"It's evident that the Russian authorities perceived Navalny as a threat, and they made repeated attempts to silence him," Cameron said
Britain has announced sanctions against six individuals responsible for overseeing the Arctic penal colony where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died last week, marking a significant escalation in the international response to Navalny's death.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron confirmed the sanctions, targeting the head and five deputy heads of the penal colony.
These individuals will face travel bans to the UK and have their assets frozen, Cameron declared in a statement.
"It's evident that the Russian authorities perceived Navalny as a threat, and they made repeated attempts to silence him," Cameron asserted.
"Those accountable for Navalny's cruel treatment must understand - we will hold them responsible."
This development comes as the United States prepares to unveil a substantial package of sanctions against Russia in response to Navalny's death and the enduring conflict in Ukraine. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby disclosed the impending sanctions during a press briefing on Tuesday.
While specifics of the sanctions were not disclosed, Kirby emphasized the United States' demand for full transparency from Russia regarding the circumstances surrounding Navalny's demise at the Arctic penal colony.
Despite the Russian prison service attributing Navalny's death to him losing consciousness during a walk, President Joe Biden directly implicated Russian President Vladimir Putin in the incident.
The forthcoming sanctions build upon the extensive punitive measures previously imposed by the United States in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Kirby reiterated the United States' stance, underlining that irrespective of the narrative put forth by the Russian government, ultimate accountability for Navalny's death rests with Putin and his administration.