Following the death of Navalny, who was in prison on the 16th and was known as one of Russia's most vocal critics of the Putin regime, mourning efforts continued in various places, and Russian human rights groups announced that they would be holding a memorial service for two days until the 17th. It is said that more than 400 people, including those who had come to pay their respects during the day, were detained.
Regarding Navalny, who continued to criticize Russia's Putin regime and died in prison on the 16th, a spokesperson for Navalny confirmed the death by saying in a video released on the 17th, ``Navalny was murdered.'' clarified.
A spokesperson said they would wait for an official conclusion regarding the circumstances at the time and would request that the body be returned to the family.
However, when Mr. Navalny's mother and lawyer went there after hearing from prison staff about the whereabouts of Navalny's body, the body was not there, so the situation continues to prevent him from being handed over. Movements to mourn Mr. Navalny continued on the 17th in various parts of Central Russia.
In St. Petersburg, the second largest city, people gathered in front of a monument to Soviet-era political repression, holding prayers and placing flowers to mourn the deaths, while security forces were on guard.
An 83-year-old woman held up a card reading ``He was not killed, he was murdered,'' and said, ``My heart aches for him and for this country, which is on the verge of destruction. "I can't believe in the future. I feel like the current situation is worse than the Stalin era in the Soviet Union," he lamented.
The woman appears to have been detained for a time after this.
According to human rights groups, more than 400 people were detained in 32 cities including St. Petersburg and the capital Moscow from the 16th to the 17th, and authorities are nervous about the spread of voices criticizing the Putin administration. It seems that there are.