Wednesday, July 23, 2025
News Wave
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World
  • USA
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
Login
News Wave
  • Home
  • World
  • USA
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
Login
No Result
View All Result
Login
News Wave
No Result
View All Result
Home World Europe

Hundreds of Navalny Mourners Detained Across Russia

19 February 2024
in Europe
0
Hundreds of Navalny Mourners Detained Across Russia
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
How does this make you feel?


For the second day in a row, mourners walked purposefully along Moscow’s snow-heaped Garden Ring on Saturday carrying bouquets to lay at one of the improvised memorials to Aleksei A. Navalny, the Russian opposition figure who perished in a prison colony the day before.

The flowers, wrapped in paper to shield them from the icy wind, were not only a symbol of mourning. They also served as a form of protest in a country where even the mildest dissent can risk detention. And the people who laid bouquets at the Wall of Grief, a monument to the victims of political persecution during the Stalin era, shared the conviction that the Russian state was behind Mr. Navalny’s death.

“He didn’t die, he was killed,” said Alla, 75, a pensioner who declined to give her last name because of possible repercussions.

“Theoretically, we knew that they wanted to destroy him,” said her friend Elena, 77, whose arm was interlaced with Alla’s. “But when it happened it was such a shock, the senseless brutality of it, just senseless.” She found out what had happened when her daughter and granddaughter called her in tears to share the news.

Both women expressed pride that people were showing up to express their disagreement with the state, despite the sweeping crackdown on dissent since Russian President Vladimir V. Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago.

In announcing Mr. Navalny’s death on Friday, Russia’s prison service said that he felt suddenly unwell during a walk and that the causes were “being determined.” A lawyer for Mr. Navalny said an “additional histology” had been performed on the body to determine the cause of his death, and that its results should be ready next week.

Some who showed up at the memorial gatherings paid the price. At least 400 people have been detained across Russia since Mr. Navalny’s death was announced on Friday, according to the human rights group OVD-Info. Among them was a priest, Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, who had been scheduled to hold a memorial service for Mr. Navalny in St. Petersburg.

It is the most significant spate of arrests since protests against a general mobilization for the war in Ukraine in Sept. 2022.

“They try to scare us so much that it is not possible to live,” said Elena, who added that she worried for the fate of hundreds of other political prisoners in Russia.

Fear prevented Andrei, a 17-year-old in 11th grade, from buying flowers, but he wanted to come and see what was happening. He bristled when one passerby mocked the mourners and questioned Mr. Navalny’s legacy.

“What did he do for our country that deserves our prayers or mourning?” said Sergei, a pensioner who also provided just his first name.

“What about smart voting?” ventured Andrei, referring to a system pioneered in 2018 by Mr. Navalny’s team that encouraged voters to unite around one opposition candidate, hoping to outpoll Putin loyalists.

“He was an empty person, just a puppet of the West,” Sergei responded.

As they spoke, dozens of police observed and interacted with people coming to the complex, and another group of riot police in position looked on half a block away. The Wall of Grief, in central Moscow, is on Sakharov Avenue, named after Andrei Sakharov, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist whose activism was punished with years of internal exile in Gorky, today known as Nizhny Novgorod.

The government has used the site to contain protest movements by making it the only permitted venue whenever public pressure for a march has forced a response. Mr. Navalny frequently addressed demonstrations there.

For Olya, 39, the heaps of flowers and candles served as a rare but valuable reminder that she is not alone in wanting a democratic, free Russia without war.

“At a time like this it is so important to see that there are people who think like I do,” she said, as she brought roses to the Wall of Grief. Earlier, she said she had laid flowers at the Solovetsky Stone, another monument to victims of political repression, across from the headquarters of the F.S.B., the successor agency of the K.G.B.

“And it’s a shame that in a short period of time, people come and go, and you can’t see all the people who came throughout a day, who are constantly being asked to leave,” she added. “But you can see flowers.”

Protests are effectively banned in Russia, and the arrests the past two days show the extent to which the authorities are ready to go to suppress public displays of anger or mourning.

“A responsible citizen who loves his homeland, was forced to leave it or is trying to the last not to leave it, has only one weapon — a memorial candle,” wrote Andrei Kolesnikov, a Moscow-based commentator, in an opinion piece he hopes to publish soon, calling them “the last weapon of a civilized, not savage, person and citizen.”

On Friday, videos began circulating of men with their faces covered, removing flowers from the Solovetsky Stone, in what was interpreted as a sign the authorities do not want the scale of the outpouring of grief to become public.

Still, life largely went on as usual across Moscow, with restaurants and shopping districts bustling. And news of Mr. Navalny’s death, the improvised memorials and the arrests were largely missing from news broadcasts on Saturday.

State television channels Rossiya24 and Rossiya-1 instead discussed the Munich Security Conference and the Russian capture of Avdiivka in Ukraine, and featured the “Russia International Exhibit and Forum,” a patriotic showcase celebrating the food, technology and culture of each of the country’s regions.

Russian state-controlled Channel 1 mentioned Mr. Navalny in its news bulletins only three times, for about 30 seconds each and without mentioning he was a politician or even the official reason for his imprisonment.

But for many gathered in Moscow, the memory of the protest will be indelible.

“Someday what we are watching may be in history books,” Andrei, the student, whispered, as policemen urged him and a New York Times journalist to leave the premises. Watching the steady flow of people bearing flowers, and under the increasing pressure of a police officer to move along, he slipped into an underground crosswalk with a request.

“Please don’t forget that there are still many good people in this country,” he said.

Neil MacFarquhar Alina Lobzina, Milana Mazaeva and Oleg Matsnev contributed reporting.



Source link

🪄 Creating a simple explanation...

Tags: DetainedHundredsMournersNavalnyRussia
Previous Post

Divya Agarwal makes for a stunning bride-to-be in a Punjabi get-up for her mehendi ceremony; poses playfully with beau Apurva Padgaonkar |

Next Post

Things to do in Queenstown

Related Posts

Brussels should not be shocked by Trump being Trump
Europe

Brussels should not be shocked by Trump being Trump

by My News Wave
17 July 2025
0

US President Trump's tariff threats have tested the EU's trade policy capabilities, revealing both successes, like a political agreement with Indonesia, and failures in its approach to negotiations with the US. The EU's traditional methods are ineffective against Trump's unpredictable style, reflecting a deeper struggle within its institutional structure and reliance on the automotive industry. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: The article talks about how the EU is struggling to handle trade talks...

Read more
Spain overtakes Germany as top EU asylum destination
Europe

Spain overtakes Germany as top EU asylum destination

by My News Wave
16 July 2025
0

Germany is no longer the top destination for asylum seekers in the EU, mainly due to a sharp decline in Syrian applications following the end of Bashar al-Assad's regime, with Spain now leading in asylum claims. The EU Agency for Asylum reported a significant drop in overall claims, particularly from Syrians, prompting calls for stricter migration policies across Europe. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Germany is no longer the top place for people...

Read more
Why the EU’s chaotic budget proposal doesn’t add up
Europe

Why the EU’s chaotic budget proposal doesn’t add up

by My News Wave
16 July 2025
0

Ursula von der Leyen proposed a €2tn EU budget, a 64% increase, facing skepticism and pushback from member states over its feasibility and costs, with critics labeling the financial plan as "voodoo maths." Meanwhile, Poland condemned a Russian drone attack on a Polish-owned factory in Ukraine, highlighting ongoing security concerns amid the war's impact on the region. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Ursula von der Leyen proposed a big new budget for the...

Read more
Bayrou stakes French premiership on wooing Socialists on budget
Europe

Bayrou stakes French premiership on wooing Socialists on budget

by My News Wave
16 July 2025
0

French premier François Bayrou is attempting to secure his government's survival by negotiating with the Socialist party to pass a €44bn fiscal package for 2026 amidst a political deadlock. With no parliamentary majority, Bayrou's proposals, including a spending freeze and cutting national holidays, have faced opposition, especially from Socialists who demand a fairer burden distribution. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: French Prime Minister François Bayrou is trying to make a deal with the...

Read more
Von der Leyen botches €2tn EU budget proposal with chaotic infighting
Europe

Von der Leyen botches €2tn EU budget proposal with chaotic infighting

by My News Wave
16 July 2025
0

Ursula von der Leyen's proposed €2tn budget for the EU (2028-2034) has faced significant internal dissent within the European Commission, highlighting her ultra-centralized decision-making style. Despite her concessions to address concerns, including new taxes and funding allocations, the chaotic negotiations raise fears about future discussions with EU member states, as many remain dissatisfied with the process. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Ursula von der Leyen's plan for a huge EU budget has caused...

Read more
Brussels pushes schools to serve ‘Made in Europe’ fruit and veg
Europe

Brussels pushes schools to serve ‘Made in Europe’ fruit and veg

by My News Wave
16 July 2025
0

Brussels plans to propose that fruit, vegetables, and milk for schools be locally sourced as part of a broader initiative to prioritize domestic production, reflecting a push to bolster the EU's industries. This proposal, which aligns with upcoming changes to agricultural funding, aims to support small producers and ensure food security while maintaining financial aid for farmers under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Brussels wants schools to buy...

Read more
News Wave

News Summarized. Time Saved. Bite-sized news briefs for busy people. No fluff, just facts.

CATEGORIES

  • Africa
  • Asia Pacific
  • Australia
  • Business
  • Canada
  • Entertainment
  • Europe
  • India
  • Middle East
  • New Zealand
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • UK
  • USA
  • World

LATEST NEWS STORIES

  • Ashes drinking video leak caused Graham Thorpe to ‘spiral into depression’
  • ICE goes public with a new report on Canadian man who died in custody
  • Iran agrees to visit by UN nuclear watchdog team to Tehran – Middle East Monitor
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 News Wave
News Wave is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World
  • USA
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Technology

Copyright © 2025 News Wave
News Wave is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In