WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on the death of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, 47, who exposed corruption at the highest levels of Russian government and survived a previous political assassination attempt with a military-grade nerve agent:

“Alexei Navalny stood up to tyranny.  He died a hero to the Russian people and an enemy of the corrupt Kremlin kleptocrats he systematically exposed.

“Putin had Mr. Navalny thrown into a maximum security prison because he feared the fact that Alexi Navalny told the unflinching truth about how badly Russian leaders are robbing the Russian people.  Mr. Navalany was a fearless and relentless anti-corruption crusader and a prisoner of conscience who gave the Russian people a voice.  His life was taken to silence him, but his example and legacy endures, inspires, and grows more powerful.  Our thoughts are with his family and the Russian people.”