Yulia Navalnaya has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband, Alexey Navalny, and pledged to proceed the late opposition chief’s combat for a “free Russia”.
“Three days in the past, Vladimir Putin killed my husband, Alexey Navalny,” the widow stated in a nine-minute video launched on Monday.
“By killing Alexey, Putin killed half of me – half of my coronary heart and half of my soul. … However I nonetheless have the opposite half, and it tells me that I’ve no proper to surrender. I’ll proceed the work of Alexey Navalny, proceed to combat for our nation,” she stated as she fought again tears.
“I need to dwell in a free Russia. I need to construct a free Russia,” Navalnaya stated.
“I urge you to face subsequent to me,” she stated. “I ask you to share the trend with me. Rage, anger, hatred in direction of those that dared to kill our future.”
Navalny died on Friday on the age of 47 within the IK-3 most safety jail colony in Kharp, a city north of the Arctic Circle about 1,900km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, the place he was serving a 19-year sentence on prices of extremism.
The circumstances surrounding the demise of the opposition chief stay murky. Moscow says Navalny felt sick and fainted after a stroll and medics’ efforts to resuscitate him failed.
Three days after his demise, Navalny’s household has not been allowed to see his physique.
The jail colony instructed Navany’s mom on Saturday that her son’s physique was in a morgue in Salekhard, a city close to the jail. After a household go to there, Kira Yarmysh, a Navalny household spokesperson, stated the physique was not within the morgue.
On Monday, Russian authorities knowledgeable Navalny’s mom and legal professionals that an investigation into his demise “has been prolonged” indefinitely, including that the reason for the demise remains to be “unknown”, Yarmysh wrote on social media.
The Investigative Committee knowledgeable the mom and the legal professionals that the investigation of the demise of Navalny has been prolonged. They don’t say how lengthy it is going to take. The reason for demise remains to be “unknown.”
They lie, purchase time for themselves and don’t even disguise it.
— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 19, 2024
Navalnaya accused Russian authorities of hiding Navalny’s physique and of ready for traces of a Novichok nerve agent to vanish from his physique.
Impartial media outlet Mediazone obtained footage exhibiting 4 autos, together with these of the penitentiary service, crossing the one street linking Labytnangi, near the jail, with Salekhard. In line with the media outlet, the weird convoy means that Navalny’s physique was being transported to Salekhard.
The dearth of readability over the demise of the opposition activist – who appeared in good well being and cracking jokes with a choose only a day earlier than his demise – has led many Western leaders, together with US President Joe Biden, to put the duty of his demise on Putin.
European Union overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell stated on Monday that Putin can be held accountable for Navalny’s demise and he anticipated EU member states to suggest new sanctions on these instantly chargeable for Navalny’s therapy, together with officers in Russia’s jail system.
At a gathering of EU overseas ministers in Brussels, German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock stated the diplomats would “provoke additional sanctions measures” over Navalny’s demise.
The Kremlin on Monday known as Western accusations over Moscow’s involvement in Navalny’s demise “boorish” and stated “all needed measures are being taken”.
“In circumstances the place there isn’t a info, we take into account it completely inadmissible to make such, let’s say, frankly boorish statements,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters.
Navalny, a former lawyer, rose to prominence campaigning towards corruption. He was identified for his fiery rhetoric at public protests and in courts and his staff’s elaborate video investigations into state graft.
After the information of his demise, 1000’s of individuals braved winter temperatures in Russia to pay him tribute. Greater than 360 individuals had been arrested throughout 39 cities, based on the OVD-Data rights group, as they laid flowers at monuments to victims of political repression and at advert hoc memorials.
The rights group launched a petition marketing campaign demanding the Investigation Committee hand over Navalny’s physique to his household. Greater than 50,000 individuals have signed the doc.
