Protests and vigils have been held near Russian embassies in many countries following the death of Alexei Navalny in a Russian jail
More than 100 street protesters were detained in Russian cities, reports say, as people were warned not to rally
The 47-year-old outspoken critic of President Putin had been in a Russian jail since 2021 on politically-motivated charges
The Russian prison service announced on Friday that he had died, although this has not been confirmed by his family.
US President Joe Biden says Vladimir Putin is “responsible” for Navalny’s death.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking at the Munich Security Conference described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a man who maintains power through corruption and violence.
Zelensky accused Putin of trying to send the world a “clear message” on the day the Munich Security Conference opened.
The Ukrainian president called on attendees of the conference to “work together to destroy what [Putin] stands for”.
“It is his fate to lose, not the fate of the rules-based world order to vanish.”
In August, Navalny was found guilty of founding and funding an extremist organisation, which he denies, and was given an extra 19 years in jail
He had already been sentenced to nine years for parole violations, fraud and contempt of court.
Meanwhile, across Russia, the authorities have been scooping up flowers and tributes left to Alexei Navalny, to ensure there is no public sign of the extent of support for Vladimir Putin’s biggest rival.
In Moscow, a video showed what looked like men in dark tops, with their hoods raised, moving in to clear the many tributes laid at the Solovetsky Stone, a monument to the victims of political repression in Stalin’s time.
The carnations and roses had been piled high on and around the stone – and at another monument in St Petersburg – as a stream of Navalny’s supporters turned out to remember him. Some left photos of the politician, and small notes of protest and defiance.
The video from Moscow showed police blocking access to the site, while the shrine was removed.
There were similar reports from memorials across Russia.
Men in civilian clothing, again with their hoods up, also removed tributes left on the bridge near the Kremlin where the opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was murdered in February 2015. Again, police stood by and watched.
The authorities don’t want any focal points for protest.
BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon
Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our Whatsapp Update Group
pub-5160901092443552
Related Posts
