Navalny memorial service disrupted by police in Moscow
In Berlin, people are planning a concert in memory of Alexei Navalny, while in Moscow, around 30 people intend to watch a live broadcast of the concert to honor the deceased anti-Kremlin activist. However, a Russian special forces unit interrupts a small memorial service for Navalny.
Police in Moscow have been merciless towards supporters of Navalny, who came together for a small tribute event on his birthday. Representatives of a special unit raided a venue in northeastern Moscow where many gathered to watch the live broadcast of a Navalny memorial concert from Berlin. The human rights group Ovd-Info reports that around 30 people were temporarily detained, searched, and interrogated.
"Sota" media published a short video showing several masked officers approaching the venue.
Navalny, who would have been 48 this week, was one of the most vocal opponents of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin during his lifetime. Since his imprisonment in 2021 as a political prisoner, he was also seen as a critical voice for Russian democracy. He died in a prison in the most far-flung northern part of Russia in February, leaving questions about the circumstances surrounding his death. His relatives and supporters believe he was murdered, especially considering he barely survived a nerve agent attack in the summer of 2020, which had left him in poor health.
Navalny's funeral three months ago saw a mass gathering in Moscow despite the repression. There are usually no protests, as authorities typically suppress them shortly after they start and arrest the participants.
In late April, two journalists who worked for media outlets supportive of Navalny's team were detained. Konstantin Gabow and Sergey Karelin were accused of preparing photos and videos for the YouTube channel "NawalnyLive."
Amid the Ukrainian offensive, the crackdown on critical voices in Russia has been stepped up even more. So on Friday, a Russian journalist working for the Russian edition of the US magazine "Forbes" was arrested. He's charged with spreading "false information" about Russian attacks in Ukraine.
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In response to the planned memorial concert for Alexei Navalny in Berlin, Russian authorities showed no regard for freedoms in Moscow, disrupting a small memorial service and detaining several attendees. As tensions continue between Russia and Ukraine, the crackdown on critical voices within Russia has heightened, with a Russian journalist facing charges for spreading "false information" about Russian attacks.
