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Hundreds of individuals gathered to bid a closing farewell to Alexei Navalny, with many chanting his identify and saying they might not forgive Russian authorities for his demise, because the opposition chief was buried.
Crowds of mourners gathered close to a church in southern Moscow on Friday and waited for hours to pay tribute to Navalny below heavy police surveillance, after the Kremlin warned towards “unauthorized” protests. Was.
Loud chants of “Navalny, Navalny” erupted because the dissident's coffin was taken out of a black hearse upon arrival at a church within the Maryino district, regardless of a heavy police presence and anti-riot police vans.
After a brief service, his coffin was taken to the capital's Borisovsky cemetery for burial.
In video streamed from the cemetery, Navalny's mom Lyudmila and father Anatoly bent over his open coffin to kiss him for the final time as a small group of musicians performed.
Mourners stepped ahead to caress her face, earlier than a priest gently positioned a white shroud over her. The coffin was then closed and buried within the floor.
Navalny, Russia's staunchest critic of President Vladimir Putin, died on February 16 on the age of 47 in an Arctic penal colony, prompting allegations from his supporters that he was murdered.
The Kremlin has denied any state involvement in his demise.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had earlier warned that “unauthorized gatherings can be a violation of the legislation and people collaborating in them can be held accountable,” in keeping with Russia's TASS information company.
Rights group OVD-Information mentioned it was conscious of “no less than 67 arrests in 16 cities” on Friday, together with six in Moscow, the place Navalny's funeral was held.
Rights teams say about 400 individuals have been detained at monuments to Navalny since his demise.
The group of mourners on Friday additionally included the French and German ambassadors, in addition to a few of Russia's final remaining impartial politicians.
Amid the big crowd, some chanted, “Russia will likely be free”, “No struggle”, “Russia with out Putin”, “We is not going to forgive” and “Putin is a assassin.” A lot of police have been current however they didn’t intervene.
“Individuals like him shouldn’t die: sincere and principled, keen to sacrifice themselves,” mentioned Anna Stepanova, a mourner outdoors the church.
“Why are they scared? Why so many autos?” She mentioned. “The individuals who got here right here aren't afraid. Alexey wasn't both.”
mysterious demise
Navalny was recognized for his outspoken and uncompromising criticism of Putin.
His final rites have been carried out following a battle with authorities over the discharge of his physique following his nonetheless unexplained demise in custody. His physique was stored within the mortuary for eight days earlier than being returned to the household.
Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, is outdoors Russia and didn’t attend the funeral; Neither do Navalny's two kids.
Navalnaya had beforehand accused Putin of murdering her husband after which delaying the discharge of his physique to forestall him from getting a dignified public funeral.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov has criticized the allegations made by him and a few Western leaders as “obscene”.
Western governments have been fast to carry the Kremlin accountable, however have prevented direct accusations of involvement.
A number of church buildings in Moscow refused to carry the service earlier than Navalny's group obtained permission from the Church of the Icon of Our Girl Quench My Sorrows, the place Navalny lived following his 2020 poisoning, remedy in Germany, and subsequent arrest upon returning to Russia. Lived earlier than. 2021.
Addressing the European Parliament this week, Navalnya advised lawmakers that her husband had been tortured for 3 years.
“They have been stored starved in a small stone cell, reduce off from the skin world and denied visits, telephone calls and even letters,” he mentioned.
Navalnya has pledged to proceed his life's work and urged him to “battle extra determinedly, extra fiercely than ever earlier than.”