Navalny’s widow urges Russians to protest on election day

The widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has called on Russians to protest on election day in response to the refusal to register opposition candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Yulia Navalnaya, who has become a prominent figure in the Russian opposition movement since her husband’s imprisonment, issued a statement urging Russians to demonstrate their discontent with the government’s attempts to stifle political opposition.

“It is clear that the authorities are afraid of free and fair elections, and they will stop at nothing to prevent opposition candidates from running,” Navalnaya said. “But we cannot let them silence us. We must use our voices and our votes to show that we will not be intimidated.”

Navalny’s imprisonment earlier this year sparked mass protests across Russia, with thousands taking to the streets to demand his release. The opposition leader was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after returning to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack that he claims was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian government has been accused of cracking down on opposition figures and independent media outlets in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections, which are scheduled to take place in September. Several prominent opposition leaders, including Navalny himself, have been barred from running for office, prompting international condemnation.

Despite the challenges facing the opposition movement, Navalnaya remains undeterred in her call for Russians to protest on election day. “We must stand up for our rights and refuse to accept the status quo,” she said. “The future of our country is at stake, and we cannot afford to remain silent.”