"His dignity remained intact": Tribute for Navalny

Individuals' fundamental freedoms and entitlements - "His dignity remained intact": Tribute for Navalny

To commemorate Alexei Navalny's 48th birthday, his wife, companions, and admirers convened for a memorial service in Berlin. Julia Navalnaya, his spouse, addressed the congregation at the Marienkirche in Berlin-Mitte with a few concise Russian words, yet remained silent after that.

As a renowned critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin for years, Navalny had endured multiple arrests and legal proceedings. He miraculously survived being poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020. After receiving treatment at the Charité in Berlin, Navalny returned to Russia in 2021 and was taken into custody once more. On February 16, Navalny inexplicably expired in a Siberian penal colony.

In his sermon at the Berlin ceremony, Protestant Bishop Christian Stäblein conveyed his hope to have celebrated Navalny's birthday with him and serenaded him with a song. "I trust and believe that the celestial choirs are singing to him this very instant," remarked Stäblein.

The bishop highlighted Navalny's indomitable spirit, wit, and resolute dedication to freedom and justice in Russia - enduring torture, degradation, and attempted poisoning. Baptized with innate dignity, Stäblein emphasized that it could not be stripped from him. We continue to yearn for freedom and justice to triumph.

Journalist Sabine Adler revisited how Navalny was apprehended in 2018 due to his aspirations to challenge President Putin. As a blogger, he meticulously uncovered instances of corruption within Putin's inner circle. Navalny had at times strayed, such as being drawn to nationalists and endorsing the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea. Nevertheless, he rectified his errors. He staunchly and openly decried the Russian hostilities against Ukraine, declared Adler.

Read also:

1. Despite facing numerous challenges, including arrests and legal proceedings due to his criticism towards Vladimir Putin, Julia Navalnaya's husband, Alexei Navalny, remained steadfast in his advocacy for human rights in Russia.
2. In Germany, a memorial service was held in Berlin to honor Alexei Navalny on what would have been his 48th birthday, attended by his spouse, Julia Navalnaya, and supporters.
3. Amidst the congregation, German Protestant Bishop Christian Stäblein delivered a sermon, expressing his hope to celebrate Navalny's birthday with him and serenading him with music.
4. The bishop commemorated Navalny's commitment to human rights and justice in Russia, emphasizing that his dignity remained intact despite enduring torture, degradation, and attempted poisoning.
5. German journalist Sabine Adler reflected on Navalny's past, citing his 2018 arrest for challenging President Putin and his uncovering of corruption within Putin's inner circle.
6. Despite straying from his principles at times, such as endorsing the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea and aligning with nationalists, Navalny corrected his course, openly decrying Russian hostilities against Ukraine.

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