A year after Navalny’s death, his widow urges ongoing fight for a ‘free’ Russia

(CNN) — Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of late Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, has urged people to continue fighting for a “free, peaceful” Russia a year after he died in prison.

“We know exactly what we are fighting for – a future Russia that Alexey dreamed of – free, peaceful, beautiful. It’s possible,” Navalnaya said in a video posted Sunday on her late husband’s YouTube channel. “Let’s do everything we can to make his dreams come true.”

On February 16, 2024, Navalny, who had been incarcerated since 2021, died age 47. The Russian prison service said Navalny had “felt unwell after a walk” and “almost immediately” lost consciousness.

But Navalnaya, along with former US President Joe Biden, has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for Navalny’s death. The Kremlin has rejected those allegations.

On Sunday, long lines of people could be seen gathering near, and laying flowers on, the grave of the outspoken Kremlin critic in Moscow, according to video taken by the Associated Press (AP).

Navalny’s parents, Anatoly and Lyudmila, were among the mourners who visited the snowy cemetery in southeast Moscow. The pair stood silently beside their son’s grave with Alla Abrosimova, Navalnaya’s mother.

Navalnaya said she has spent the past year speaking publicly on the situation in Russia, continuing the work of her husband. Navalny was a thorn in Putin’s side, exposing corruption in high places and orchestrating some of the biggest anti-government protests seen in recent years.

“I see how Alexey’s name inspires people all over the world. They realize that our country is not only war, corruption and repression. Russia is you and me. Those who are not silent. Those who continue to fight,” Navalnaya said in the video.

Navalnaya has also announced the creation of the Alexey Navalny Award, which will be presented annually to young politicians launching the most impactful grassroots initiatives. It will be given out on the opposition leader’s birthday each year.

In 2021, Navalny returned to Russia from Germany, where he had been treated after being poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. On arrival, he was swiftly arrested on charges he dismissed as politically motivated.

Mourners told AP on Sunday that paying their respects to Navalny was an act of “protest” in present-day Russia where the government has only ramped up efforts to stifle free speech.

A young Moscow resident called Alexander described Navalny as someone who “fought the way no one” else did to change the country.

Fellow resident Anastasia described the anniversary of his death as a “tough date” but said his supporters would “continue remembering him for a long time.”

“There is no one like him anymore,” Anastasia told AP.

Eighteen countries, including several European nations, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, said in a joint statement Sunday: “We reiterate that the ultimate responsibility for his death lies with the Russian authorities.”

“One year on, Russia’s dire human rights record continues to deteriorate. The Kremlin crushes peaceful dissent, maintains a climate of fear and undermines the rule of law,” the statement read.

“As we reflect on Navalny’s enduring legacy, we continue to stand with civil society and human rights defenders working tirelessly to build a better future for Russia in the face of immense personal risk,” it added.

The-CNN-Wire
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