Associates of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny reported that he has been found at a prison colony above the Arctic Circle after nearly three weeks of being out of contact. Serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism, Navalny had been imprisoned in the Vladimir region of central Russia, but his lawyers lost contact with him after December 6. His spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, stated that he was located in a prison colony in the town of Kharp in the Yamalo-Nenets region, about 1,900 kilometers northeast of Moscow. A lawyer visited him and reported that he is “fine—at least as much as possible after such a long stage,” according to Ms. Yarmysh.
The prison colony’s location in the remote town of Kharp is known for its severe winters, and it is nearly impossible to access or send letters. Navalny’s chief strategist, Leonid Volkov, described it as “the highest possible level of isolation from the world.” Furthermore, transfers within Russia’s prison system are shrouded in secrecy, and inmates can remain out of contact for several weeks. Navalny’s transfer was suspected to be connected with the upcoming Russian presidential election in March, with the goal of isolating him and diminishing any opportunity for him to communicate with the outside world.
Since returning to Moscow in January 2021 after recovering from nerve agent poisoning in Germany, Navalny has been behind bars and has received three prison terms while spending months in isolation for alleged minor infractions. He has consistently rejected the charges as politically motivated. Despite his imprisonment, Navalny remains a prominent opponent of President Vladimir Putin, and the timing of his transfer to a remote prison colony is believed to be related to Putin’s reelection campaign, aiming to undermine Navalny’s influence during the political race.