Alexei Navalny's wife said she doesn't know whether to believe he's dead or not, but President Putin and his regime must be held accountable if it's true.
Yulia Navalnaya was speaking at the Munich Security Conference hours after Russian authorities announced that the 47-year-old had died in prison.
She said she didn't know whether she would still talk or travel to her children, but she asked herself what her husband would do.
The latest between Russia and Ukraine: Blaming Putin for Navalny's death
“I'm confident he will be here on this stage,” she told the audience.
Ms. Navalnaya said she was not sure whether the Prison Service statement issued on Friday afternoon was correct.
“I don’t know whether to believe or not this terrible news that we are only receiving from Russian government sources,” she said.
“For many years we cannot trust Putin and Putin's government. They always lie.”
The prison service said Mr. Navalny – For many years he was the most vocal opponent of President Putin – He died after walking and feeling tired.
Yulia Navalnaya said she was sure her husband wanted her to speak out. Photo: Reuters
He was imprisoned in the Arctic Circle after being convicted on multiple charges, most recently being sentenced to 19 years in prison in August.
Navalny nearly died in 2020 when he was poisoned with Novichok and became unwell during the flight.
However, he eventually returned to Russia To continue his campaign against corruption and tyranny.
Ms Navalnaya added: “If this is true, I want Putin and everyone around him to know that they will be held accountable for everything they have done to our country, to my family, to my husband.”
“And that day will come very soon.
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Last sighting of Navalny before his death
“I want to call on the international community, everyone in this room, and people around the world to unite and defeat this terrible regime in Russia.
He added: “This regime and Putin must bear personal responsibility for all the terrible things that have been committed in my country, our country, Russia, in recent years.”
She received a standing ovation when she left the stage.
Read more:
An extraordinary life of the man who called for the last large-scale protests in Russia
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The life and death of Alexei Navalny
Yulia Navalnaya's call for justice has been echoed by the likes of Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron.
“Putin’s Russia trumped up charges against him, poisoned him, sent him to a penal colony in the Arctic, and now he has tragically died,” he wrote on X.
He added: “Putin must bear responsibility for what happened, and no one should doubt the horrific nature of his regime.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was “obvious” that Navalny was killed by Putin's regime.
Chief US diplomat Anthony Blinken said that “Russia is responsible for this” and that he would talk to other countries about this matter.
President Putin does not tolerate criticism or meaningful opposition, meaning there is no effective political opposition within Russia.
Others are speaking out He suffered unfortunate fates He is certain to easily win the presidential elections scheduled for next month.
