Russia is marking one year since the mysterious death of opposition activist Alexei Navalny in a penal colony in the Arctic Circle. Navalny’s supporters held memorials across the country, including at his grave in Moscow, where foreign diplomats and human rights activists attended.
The event was marked by warnings from human rights groups about the risk of arrest due to Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation being classified as “extremist” and banned in Russia. At least five people were arrested during a memorial event in Novosibirsk, Siberia.
Navalny’s team plans to mark the anniversary with an online live broadcast, featuring friends and associates remembering his work. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, also invited people to a memorial evening in Berlin, where she reflected on her late husband, calling him “my love” and expressing her desire for a free and peaceful Russia.
Navalnaya recently unveiled a competition to design a memorial for Navalny’s grave, which will be revealed this week. The final design is intended to be a place of hope and strength, not just remembrance or rest.
Navalny was poisoned in 2020 ahead of regional elections, but his death was shrouded in mystery. He died at 47 while detained in the penal colony, where the circumstances of his death remain unclear.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/navalny-supporters-hold-memorials-marking-133310346.html