At least 400 individuals have been detained in Russia for participating in protests following the sudden death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who passed away while in a Russian penal colony.
One of the individuals in custody is Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, who intended to preside over a memorial service in St. Petersberg in honor of Navalny.
According to OVD-Info, police had arrested 401 individuals nationwide by Saturday night. Over 200 arrests were made in St. Petersberg, the second largest city in Russia.
Mikhnov-Vaitenko, the priest who intended to hold a memorial service for Navalny, now faces charges for orchestrating a rally. He was placed in a holding cell but later transferred to a hospital because of a stroke, as reported by OVD-Info.
“He didn’t die, he was killed,” a woman who laid flowers at Russia’s Wall of Grief, a memorial to those who were politically persecuted during Stalin’s rule, told The New York Times about Navalny’s death.
Court Hands Down Sentences to 49 Individuals in St. Petersburg and Moscow After Navalny’s Death
St. Petersberg courts have sentenced 43 individuals to serve jail time ranging from one to six days. Court officials stated that nine others were fined, as reported by the Associated Press. Six individuals detained in Moscow have been given a 15-day jail sentence, as reported by OVD-Info.
The announcement of Navalny’s death was made by the Russian prison service on Friday, stating that he was discovered deceased in his cell at a remote prison in Western Siberia. He was forty-seven years old. Navalny was incarcerated for embezzlement and contempt of court. Amnesty International criticized the charges and trial as a farce.
Marie Struthers, the Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International, expressed that Aleksei Navalny’s detention was unjust and he should not have been imprisoned.
The Russian government stated that Navalny suffered from “sudden death syndrome,” while Navalny’s team alleged that he was “murdered.” The Russian government was accused of purposely delaying the release of his body.
“They’re leading us in circles and trying to hide their actions,” stated Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh on Saturday, according to the AP.
Pussy Riot, the Russian protest and performance art collective, organized a demonstration outside the Russian embassy in Berlin following Navalny’s death. “We arrived with one simple word – ‘MURDERERS.’ He didn’t just pass away.
“He was murdered,” stated Nadya Tolokonnikova, the group’s creator, regarding Navalny’s death in a statement on Sunday. Understanding Putin involves recognizing his vulnerability beneath his exterior. He lives in fear of his adversaries.
