Navalny funeral challenges: No Hearse amid threats
As the funeral for Alexei Navalny approaches, his team faces significant obstacles in organizing the ceremony. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokeswoman, reported difficulty in securing a hearse due to anonymous threats directed at mortuaries against handling Navalny's body. The funeral is scheduled for Friday on the outskirts of Moscow, two weeks after Navalny's death in an Arctic prison.
The memorial service is set for 14:00 Moscow time at the Church of the Icon of Our Lady Quench My Sorrows in Maryino, with the burial at Borisovskoye Cemetery at 16:00. Navalny's death on 16 February, while serving a politically motivated sentence, has sparked international reactions, with memorial services planned worldwide.
Leonid Volkov, Navalny's former chief of staff, expressed concerns about potential disruptions during the Moscow service. The Russian authorities' crackdown on dissent raises doubts about public participation in the funeral, reminiscent of the homage paid to Boris Nemtsov in 2015.
Social media posts indicate a heavy police presence near the funeral venues, with surveillance intensified. Advice for attendees warns of potential detentions and urges caution, especially regarding items associated with Navalny or his Anti-Corruption Foundation, now deemed extremist.
Navalny's family, including his mother Lyudmila and widow Yulia, faces challenges in participating due to political and legal risks. Yulia Navalny has voiced fears of arrest upon her return to Russia, attributing her husband's death to President Putin.
Efforts to organize a public farewell have been met with resistance, with some funeral homes claiming full bookings or explicit prohibitions against working with Navalny's team. Yulia Navalny's uncertainty about the funeral's peacefulness underscores the tense atmosphere surrounding the event.
