Russia: Over 400 Hundred People Detained During Memorials Honouring Deceased Putin Rival Navalny

As many as 401 people have been detained as people gathered at impromptu memorials across numerous Russian cities to honour Navalny's memory.

FEBRUARY 16: People leave flowers as they attend a memorial for Putin critic Alexei Navalny at the Russian Consulate on February 16, 2024 in New York City.

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Over 400 individuals were apprehended across Russia while commemorating the life of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who passed away in a remote Arctic penal colony, as reported by a prominent rights group on Sunday, news agency AP reported. Navalny's demise, at the age of 47, dealt a severe blow to many Russians who had pinned their aspirations for change on the Kremlin's fiercest critic. President Vladimir Putin's government faced widespread condemnation globally following Navalny's death.

As per AP's report, US President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters after a Saturday church service, reiterated his stance, placing responsibility on Putin: "The fact of the matter is, Putin is responsible. Whether he ordered it, he’s responsible for the circumstance."

Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's wife, broke her silence on social media, posting a poignant picture of the couple on Instagram with a simple caption: "I love you."

Across numerous Russian cities, people gathered at impromptu memorials to honour Navalny's memory. However, their peaceful gestures were met with crackdowns by authorities, resulting in the detention of 401 individuals by Saturday night, according to the OVD-Info rights group, the report stated.

More than 200 arrests were reported in St. Petersburg, with Grigory Mikhnov-Voitenko, a priest, among those detained. He was apprehended for announcing plans to hold a memorial service for Navalny and later hospitalized with a stroke. Courts in St. Petersburg and Moscow swiftly meted out punishments, with dozens sentenced to jail time or fined, as per AP.

Uncertainty Surrounding Navalny’s Death

Navalny's demise, just a month before Russia's presidential election, has raised questions about the circumstances leading to his death. Despite claims by the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service that Navalny succumbed to "sudden death syndrome," doubts persist. Navalny's team has accused authorities of intentionally delaying the release of his body, exacerbating the anguish of his family and supporters, the report mentioned.

Leonid Volkov, Navalny's ally, expressed skepticism, stating, "Everything there is covered with cameras in the colony. Every step he took was filmed from all angles... There is no room for uncertainty here", as quoted by AP. Navalny's mother was handed a note stating his time of death as 2:17 p.m. Friday, while prison officials attributed his demise to sudden illness after a walk.