Putin critic Alexei Navalny awarded Dresden Peace Prize posthumously 

Russia's most prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died on February 16 under mysterious circumstances, received the Dresden Peace Prize on Sunday (May 12).

The award was received by Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya during a ceremony, where former German president Joachim Gauck delivered the laudatory speech.

"The resistance of the opposition politician was and is an emboldening example to all the human rights defenders who are continuing his activities," the organisers said at the event.

In his speech, Gauck declared Navalny a "feared opponent" of President Vladimir Putin, using a German sporting term. The award comes with a $10,800 prize.

About Dresden Prize

The Friends of Dresden have been awarding the Dresden Prize on the anniversary of the city's destruction in World War II since 2010. It is awarded to those individuals who have made a special contribution to peace and international understanding.

About Alexei Navalny

Alexei Navalny rose to prominence by writing hard-hitting columns against Russian President Vladimir Putin as a lawyer. In his blogs, Navalny would expose vast corruption among the Russian elites and claim the country was being ruled by "crooks and thieves".

Some called him overtly nationalist. He would march in Russian nationalist marches in the 2000s. His vehement opposition to migration and support for nationalistic movement prompted his expulsion from the liberal opposition party Yabloko in 2007.

Also read: Two Russian journalists detained over ‘extremism’ after allegedly working for Navalny group

But that did not deter him from continuing his perilous journey of standing up to the most powerful leader in the nation.

He would highlight the lavish lifestyle of top Russian leaders and would use the internet and drones to illustrate the vast holdings and luxury properties of the elites.

Also read: Navalny`s mother sees his body, accuses Russian officials of pressuring her into `secret burial`

It was in 2011 when Navalny was arrested by Russian authorities for alleging fraud in the 2011 parliamentary elections that saw Putin’s party register a landslide victory.

(With inputs from agencies)