Yulia Navalnaya has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband, Alexey Navalny, and vowed to proceed the late opposition chief's struggle for a “free Russia.”
“Three days in the past, Vladimir Putin killed my husband, Alexey Navalny,” the widow mentioned in a nine-minute video launched 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 he tells me that I don't have the best to provide it up. I’ll proceed the work of Alexey Navalny, proceed to struggle for our nation,” he mentioned whereas combating again tears.
“I need to dwell in a free Russia. I need to construct a free Russia,” Navalnaya mentioned.
“Please keep near me,” he mentioned. “I ask you to share the anger with me. Anger, anger, hatred in direction of those that dare to kill our future.”
Navalny died on Friday on the age of 47 within the IK-3 most safety jail colony in Kharp, a metropolis north of the Arctic Circle about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, the place he was serving a 19-year sentence on costs. of extremism.
The circumstances surrounding the dying of the opposition chief stay murky. Moscow says Navalny felt sick and handed out after a stroll and docs' efforts to revive him failed.
Three days after his dying, Navalny's household was not allowed to see his physique.
The jail colony informed 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, Kira Yarmysh, a spokesman for the Navalny household, mentioned that the physique was not within the morgue.
On Monday, Russian authorities knowledgeable Navalny's mom and attorneys that an investigation into his dying “has been prolonged” indefinitely, including that the reason for dying continues to be “unknown,” Yarmysh wrote on to social media.
The Investigative Committee knowledgeable the mom and attorneys that the investigation into Navalny's dying has been prolonged. They don't say how lengthy it should final. The reason for dying continues to be “unknown”.
They lie, they purchase time for themselves and so they don't even conceal it.
– Kira Yarmysh (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 19, 2024
Navalnaya has accused Russian authorities of hiding Navalny's physique and ready for traces of a Novichok nerve agent to vanish from his physique.
Unbiased media outlet Mediazone has obtained footage displaying 4 autos, together with these from the jail service, crossing the one highway linking Labytnangi, close to the jail, with Salekhard. In line with the media, the bizarre convoy means that Navalny's physique was transported to Salekhard.
The dearth of readability over the dying of the opposition activist – who seemed to be in good well being and joked with a choose only a day earlier than his dying – has led many Western leaders, together with US President Joe Biden, to place the duty of his dying. Putin.
European Union overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned on Monday that Putin can be held answerable for Navalny's dying and anticipated EU member states to suggest new sanctions on these straight answerable for the remedy of Navalny, together with officers in Russia's jail system.
At a gathering of EU overseas ministers in Brussels, German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned diplomats would “provoke additional sanctions measures” over Navalny's dying.
The Kremlin on Monday referred to as Western accusations about Moscow's involvement in Navalny's dying “boorish” and mentioned “all vital measures have been taken.”
“In situations the place there is no such thing as a info, we take into account it completely inadmissible to make such statements, let's say, frankly boorish,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters.
Navalny, a former lawyer, rose in a marketing campaign towards corruption. He was recognized for his fiery rhetoric at public protests and in courtroom and his staff's elaborate video investigations into state graft.
After the information of his dying, 1000’s of individuals braved winter temperatures in Russia to pay tribute. Greater than 360 folks had been arrested in 39 cities, in line with the rights group OVD-Data, 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 that the Investigative Committee hand over Navalny's physique to his household. Greater than 50,000 folks have signed the doc.
