Navalny's death

Thousands in place to honor Navalny: "You were not afraid and we are not afraid"  

Russian regime critic Alexei Navalny's body has left the church and been taken to the Borisovskoye cemetery after his supporters said goodbye in Moscow, several media reports. The funeral itself will be held later this afternoon.  

 

Security is heavy with police equipped with helmets and tear gas. According to media reports, several people have been arrested. According to Navalny's spokesperson Kira Jarmysh, people at the church chanted his name and the words "you were not afraid and we are not afraid."  

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet commented on the opposition politician's death. According to the Moscow Times, the Kremlin said on Friday that it "has nothing to say" to Navalny's relatives.  

 

............................................

 

Mourners gather in Moscow: "There is no one like Navalny"  

 

Hundreds have gathered in Moscow to say goodbye to Russian regime critic Alexei Navalny, writes AFP. After a moment's delay, his body has now been handed over to the family and is on its way from the mortuary.  

 

The news agency has spoken to several people who braved the risk of being arrested and are at the church. One of them is 43-year-old Maksim, who says he doesn't see how it could be illegal to say goodbye to a great man. 55-year-old Maria is on the same line, but adds that she is both sad and scared.  

 

- We simply don't have any more politicians like him, she says.  

 

The riot fence has been set up and police armed with tear gas are at the scene ahead of the funeral.  

 

...............................................

 

Riot police on site when Navalny is buried in Moscow 

 

The police presence is large when the Russian regime critic Alexei Navalny is buried in Moscow today, two weeks after he died in a penal colony in Siberia. Pictures show how riot fences have been set up in several places in Moscow and how heavily armed police guard the area around the Chovanskoye cemetery from the roof.  

 

Already before the funeral, hundreds of people have been arrested around Russia after they wanted to honor the opposition politician. Martin Kragh at the Foreign Policy Institute tells TT that Navalny supporters will probably appear at the ceremony. But there won't be any major demonstrations.  

 

- Certainly they will try to prevent larger crowds from forming, says Kragh.  

 

The funeral takes place at 12 noon, Swedish time.