Thousands of mourners gathered in Moscow for the funeral of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, two weeks after his unexplained death in an Arctic penal colony, Associated Press reports.
The funeral followed a struggle by Navalny’s mother to secure his body after a battle with authorities over funeral arrangements, with the service held at a church that agreed to host after initial refusals from others. Despite heavy police presence, no detentions were reported as crowds bid farewell to Navalny with flowers and anti-government chants. Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya expressed gratitude for their time together on social media.
Western diplomats and Navalny’s associates attended, paying respects to the outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Authorities have yet to announce the cause of Navalny’s death, which occurred while he was serving a jail sentence, fueling speculation and accusations against the Russian government.
