Opposition commemorates Navalny with candles outside Russian embassy

Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Beppe Fenech Adami has blamed “Putin’s regime” for the death of dissident Alexei Navalny.

Accompanied by the Nationalist Party’s international secretary Beppe Galea, the PN MP placed a commemorative candle in front of Navalny’s photo outside the Russian embassy in San Ġwann.

Navalny died while in prison on Friday with relatives and allies accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his death. The Russian authorities have dismissed these claims insisting Putin’s main critic died suddenly.

Fenech Adami said Navalny was silenced and it is the world’s duty not to forget him.

“Alexei Navalny was killed by Putin’s regime to silence the opposition. He was killed because he was a voice in favour of democracy… a voice in favour of freedom. He was killed because he spoke the truth. They pursued him until they killed him,” Fenech Adami said.

The Opposition MP said the work Navalny had started should continue.

There is growing pressure from the west on Russia to release Navalny’s body to the family and establish what happened.

Malta’s foreign minister has called for an “independent and transparent” investigation to establish the circumstances of Navalny’s death.

Navalny was a critic of Putin’s regime and was jailed last year on what allies claim, were politically motivated charges.

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