“Navalny was subjected to extrajudicial killing by the Russian authorities” – on 18 February 2026 announced the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, after the findings by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands about the causes of Alexei Navalny’s death were released. The analyses of samples from Alexey Navalny have conclusively confirmed the presence of epatidine – a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America.
The UN Special Rapporteur stresses that Russia has shown no willingness to conduct a credible investigation, and calls again on the Russian Government to allow and cooperate with an independent international investigation.
“Navalny’s death reflects a widespread and systematic strategy of repression within Russia,” stresses the UN Special Rapporteur. More than 2,000 political prisoners, including human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and anti‑war activists remain at grave risk. Deaths in custody continue, and many detainees face torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and politically motivated prosecutions.
Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia
The UN Human Rights Council established the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation in October 2022.
The Special Rapporteur’s mandate comprises the following: to monitor the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation; to collect, examine and assess relevant information on human rights from all relevant stakeholders, including Russian civil society both inside and outside the country; to make recommendation on the protection and respect of human rights, to cooperate with UN human rights mechanisms; and to report to the UN Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly.