Standing in line against Kremlin chief: Navalny calls for protests against Putin in the presidential election

Enlarge image

Alexei Navalny (still from a video from the penal colony): Call for protest

Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko / dpa

The imprisoned Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has called on his compatriots to protest against Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in the presidential election in March. His supporters should go to the polls at the same time on election day and form lines there to express their protest against the Kremlin leader, Navalny wrote in a message that his team distributed on online networks.

"This could be a strong demonstration of the mood in the country," explained the Kremlin critic. “People lining up to protest against Putin.” In addition, this type of protest is “legal and safe” and cannot be prevented by the authorities, Navalny added.

Navalny: Vote for “all candidates except Putin.”

In Russia, demonstrations against the government are consistently prevented by the security forces. Navalny's proposed protest is scheduled to take place on March 17 at 12 p.m. The opposition politician demanded that his supporters vote for “all candidates except Putin.”

Navalny's wife and some of his allies in exile support Kremlin critic Boris Nadezhdin, who wants to run against Putin. On Wednesday, Nadezhdin submitted the necessary number of signatures to be able to run against Putin. The electoral authority must now decide whether he should be admitted to the election.

The presidential election in Russia will take place from March 15th to 17th. Putin recently confirmed his candidacy and is expected to easily win a fifth term.

Navalny, who is currently incarcerated in a penal colony, is considered Putin's harshest domestic political critic. He was treated in Germany after a poison attack for which he blames the Kremlin. In January 2021, Navalny returned to Russia and was immediately arrested.

According to a verdict handed down against him in the summer, Navalny must serve his sentence in a colony with harsher prison conditions. These are usually only intended for life sentences and particularly dangerous prisoners.

aeh/AFP