Demonstrators Demand Attention for Political Prisoners
In a poignant demonstration, supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny set up a replica of the small “punishment cell” where he has frequently been incarcerated outside the Russian embassy in Berlin on Tuesday. This act aimed to draw attention to Navalny’s dire circumstances.
Around 100 participants, including Navalny’s brother Oleg, gathered along the iconic Unter den Linden boulevard, brandishing placards that called for the release of all political prisoners in Russia and for President Vladimir Putin to face trial for war crimes in Ukraine.
Leonid Volkov, the organizer of the protest and head of the anti-corruption group Navalny founded, highlighted the link between Navalny’s plight and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He stated that the poisoning of Navalny in 2020, followed by his imprisonment upon returning from Germany—where he is currently serving a nine-year sentence for fraud—was part of a broader Kremlin strategy to suppress dissent before the invasion of Ukraine.
Volkov noted that Navalny has consistently condemned the war during his court appearances, reiterating, “Every time he does, he is punished.”
He also pointed out that Russian authorities are still responsive to external pressures, referencing a recent petition signed by hundreds of doctors demanding that Navalny receive medical treatment. “There are maybe signs that they are actually listening in the Kremlin,” he remarked, though he clarified that this responsiveness is not due to any moral considerations.
Looking ahead, Volkov suggested that Putin might consider using Navalny as a bargaining chip in potential future peace negotiations. “He knows that at some point in time he will be forced into negotiations, and then, okay, many options will be on the table,” he concluded.
