After the suspected death of Alexei Navalny in Russian custody, up to 800 people spontaneously took part in a demonstration in Munich on Friday evening and remembered the Kremlin critic. People in Europe Square near the Russian Consulate General and the Angel of Peace carried signs saying “Freedom” or “Putin kills.” Some laid flowers or lit candles. According to police, the meeting under the motto “Putin is a Killer” went off without a hitch.
Hundreds of arrests in Russia
Russia’s police, on the other hand, are taking tough action against grieving Navalny supporters. More than 100 people were arrested at commemorative events in several Russian cities, civil rights organization Ovd-Info said. According to media reports, journalists were among those arrested. In the capital Moscow, people waited in a queue in front of the so-called Solovetsky Stone, dedicated to victims of political repression, to lay flowers in memory of Navalny, a reporter from the German Press Agency reported on site. They were intimidated by police officers and constantly warned to leave the place quickly.
Steinmeier condoles Navalny’s widow
“With your husband, the world is losing a courageous defender of democracy,” says a letter of condolence to Yulia Borissovna Navalnaya, the wife of the Russian opposition politician, published by the Federal President’s Office. Her husband campaigned with all his strength for a democratic future for Russia, wrote Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. President Vladimir Putin’s regime wants to prevent this future with brutal power. Navalny’s wife also spoke at the Munich Security Conference. She called on the world to fight against the Russian government in an emotional speech.
At a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recalled how he met Navalny in Berlin. He tried to recover from a poison attack in Germany in 2020 and flew back to Russia the following year. Shortly after landing, he was arrested in front of cameras and taken to court. During Navalny’s time in Germany, Scholz talked to him about the great courage it took to return to the country. “And he has probably now paid for this courage with his life,” said the Chancellor.
Baerbock: Putin has been oppressing his own population for years
For many, Navalny stood for a free, democratic Russia, and that is exactly why he had to die, said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. She expressed her condolences to Navalny’s family, but her thoughts were also with all those who were also “locked up in the most brutal way in Russia in order to suppress this freedom of expression, this commitment to democracy.”
For two years we have seen that Putin is not only waging a war of aggression against Ukraine with incredible brutality, violence and contempt for humanity. He has also been oppressing his own population for years, says Baerbock. Those who took to the streets at the start of the war were locked up. “And this news underlines once again the brutality of this Russian presidential regime against Ukraine, but also against its own people,” emphasized the Foreign Minister.
US President Joe Biden blames Putin directly
Although it is unclear what exactly happened, there is no doubt that Navalny’s death was a consequence of Putin’s actions and those of his criminals, US President Joe Biden said in the White House: “Putin is responsible.” Given the news of Navalny’s death, Biden said he was shocked but not surprised. Putin poisoned Navalny, had him arrested and charged with trumped-up crimes, the US president said. He put him in solitary confinement. But none of this stopped Navalny from denouncing lies, even in prison. “He was a powerful voice for the truth,” said the US President, referring to Navalny.
Great Britain calls in embassy staff
After Navalny’s death, the British government summoned diplomatic staff from the Russian embassy. The Foreign Ministry explained that London wanted to make it clear that it held “the Russian authorities fully responsible” for Navalny’s death: no one should “doubt the brutality of the Russian system.” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron had previously said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “should be held accountable for what happened.”
Dozens of people also demonstrated in front of the Russian embassy in London. They carried banners with slogans in Russian and English, including “Stop Putin,” “Murderer” and “We are Navalny.”
Death in Russia’s harshest prison camp
Navalny was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in Russia. The allegations range from fraud to extremism. The activist had always denied the allegations and described his arrest as politically motivated. His political movement was banned and close associates were imprisoned or fled abroad.
In December, Navalny was transferred to the “Polar Wolf” prison camp in Russia’s icy north. The prison is considered one of the toughest in the country. In January, Navalny called for better prison conditions at a court hearing. Among other things, the meal breaks are too short. “I get two cups of boiling water and two pieces of disgusting bread,” Navalny said. “I want to drink this boiling water normally and eat this bread.” He only had ten minutes to eat and was forced to choke on the boiling water. Even then, the activist appeared emaciated. Now he “felt unwell” after a walk in the prison camp and “almost immediately lost consciousness,” the Russian prison administration said. Medical staff were unable to revive the 47-year-old.