On February 16, rallies in memory of Alexei Navalny are held throughout he United States and in California.
On February 16, Alexei Navalny, well-known Russian opposition leader, Putin’s most hated foe, lawyer, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner, died at a remote Arctic prison – a men’s maximum security corrective colony in the village of Kharp (also known as Polar wolf or Yamskaya Troika) in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YaNAO), where he was serving a 19-year sentence.
The news was reported by the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation. The imprisoned politician unexpectedly “felt unwell”, and the doctors tried to help him; “all the necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, but they did not give positive results. Emergency doctors confirmed the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established,” – Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
President Vladimir Putin did not comment on Navalny’s death; he always refused to call him by his last name. Western politicians blamed Putin for Navalny’s death.
“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” said President Joe Biden.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskуy commented on the the death of the imprisoned politician: “It just became known that Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison. Obviously killed by Putin, like thousands of others tortured because of this one creature. Putin doesn’t care who dies, as long as he maintains his position. That’s why he shouldn’t save anything. In the end, he has to lose everything, he has to lose everything, and he has to answer for what he’s done.”
After the first news about Navalny’s death started appearing, people throughout Russia and all over the world began to hold events in memory of the deceased politician. Most of them took place ton Friday, February 16. Their organizers are Russian political refugees who supported Navalny and his narrative.
