Congress President Marc Cools has made the following statement today:

“I am shocked and dismayed by the news of the death of Alexeï Navalny in a Russian prison. On behalf of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, I express my deep condolences to his family. Alexeï Navalny stood for the freedom of expression and fundamental values of our democracies, which must be upheld at all levels.”