Thousands of supporters said goodbye to Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison on February 16. The wake, which lasted just over half an hour, took place in a church in the Moscow district Marino, Russia, amid a heavy police operation in the face of warnings from Kremlin regarding involvement in unlawful acts.
“Any unauthorized demonstration constitutes a violation of the law. Therefore, those who participate will be held responsible in accordance with applicable law,” the presidential spokesman warned. Dmitry Peskovwho also pointed out that the Kremlin “Navalny’s family has nothing to say on the day of his funeral.”
YOU CAN SEE: Russian Ambassador: “Alexei Navalny’s death had no impact on politics, it was created to demonize Russia”
The final farewell to Alexei Navalny
After weeks of fighting and just a few minutes of vigil, the body of Alexei Navalny was transferred Borisovo cemetery where the burial ceremony took place this Friday, March 1st. According to the information collected by ClarionThousands of people came to the cemetery to say goodbye to the man who was the main opponent of Vladimir Putin's government and is seeking re-election in Russia.
Thousands of Alexei Navalny's supporters followed the opposition to say goodbye. Photo: AFP
In addition to the thousands of supporters, the ceremony was attended by various international personalities such as the Italian representative Sferra Carinio And Lynne Tracy – United States Ambassador to Russia – in addition to speakers Alexander Lambsdorff And Pierre Levy, from Germany and France respectively. Dozens of police vehicles and some riot police trucks were also part of the event.
Despite the massive presence of people and the various accusations that the Russian government has made for the death of NavaldyIn Russia, the official television channels and media decided to ignore the event and not mention it. However, the team from was responsible for reporting on the funeral Anti-Corruption Foundationa group created by the opponent himself.
YOU CAN SEE: Alexei Navalni's widow denounces that her husband's body was “abused” in a Russian prison
Arrested while honoring the late Alexei Navalny
Amid the various expressions of affection from the supporters of the Russian opponent Alexei NavalnyArrests by local authorities were immediate. According to the NGO Human rights defenders OVD infospecializing in political arrests and legal assistance, at least 366 people were captured in 39 cities.
The police station was a constant during Navalny's final farewell ceremony. Photo: AFP
The BBC stated that only in the city St. Petersburg the arrest of 200 people, 154 of whom received a quick sentence up to 14 days. The official number of detainees has not yet been announced; Meanwhile, local organizations are continuing to count and said they will update the numbers in the coming days. This could be the largest wave of arrests in Russia since September 2022.