Alexei Navalny’s funeral to take place on March 1 in Moscow, his team says

Edited By: Sneha Swaminathan
Moscow, Russia Updated: Feb 29, 2024, 11:53 AM(IST)

Portraits of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Photograph:( Reuters )

Follow Us

Story highlights

Alexei Navalny death: Supporters of late Russian opposition figure have declared that his funeral service is set to be held at a church located in southern Moscow this upcoming Friday (March 1).

Allies of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced that his funeral ceremony is scheduled to take place at a church in southern Moscow this Friday (March 1).

"Alexei's funeral will be held in a church ... in Maryino on 1 March at 14:00 (1100 GMT). Come in advance," his team said in a social media post, as reported by AFP. 

×

Navalny passed away in mid-February while in one of Russia's toughest penal institutions. Russian officials have stated that the cause of his death, at the age of 47, remains unknown, and any investigation findings are expected to face scrutiny internationally. Numerous Western leaders have already implicated Russian President Vladimir Putin in Navalny's demise.

Also read | Alexei Navalny's body handed to his mother, more than a week after his death in Russian prison

Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmish, stated on Tuesday that his team encountered difficulties in securing a venue for the ceremony. Yarmish explained that some funeral homes cited full bookings, while others declined upon learning the identity of the deceased.

"One place told us that funeral agencies were forbidden from working with us," Yarmish posted on social media.

Navalny's team initially wanted to conduct the funeral on February 29, but faced logistical challenges. Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, suggested on X that this was due to Putin's scheduled yearly address to the Federal Assembly on the same day.

Police crackdown expected at Navalny's funeral

Following his death at a notorious penal facility in the Arctic Circle on February 16, approximately 400 individuals have been detained across Russia for placing flowers in his memory, as reported by the human rights organization, OVO-Info. With his funeral scheduled for Friday, it is anticipated that extensive police presence will be enforced, potentially resulting in a similar wave of arrests.

Also watch | How did Navalny die?

(With inputs from agencies)

 

Topics

Read in App