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Allies of deceased Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny have said that attempts to hire a hearse to take his body to his funeral in Moscow tomorrow have been thwarted by unknown individuals.
Kira Yarmysh, a spokesperson for Mr Navalny, said on social media that unknown individuals had been threatening hearse providers by phone and that nobody had agreed to transport his body as a result.
Ivan Zhdanov, another ally, said his team would cope and find a solution.
Mr Navalny died on 16 February in an Arctic penal colony where he was serving a lengthy jail sentence.
He is due to be buried in the Russian capital tomorrow after a church service in the southeastern suburb where he used to live.
The Russian government Kremlin critic’s allies – who have promised to livestream his funeral service online – have accused the authorities of blocking a civil memorial service that they wanted to hold for him.
The Kremlin said it has nothing to do with such arrangements.
Mr Navalny’s allies called on people who wanted to honour the 47-year-old’s memory but could not attend his funeral service to instead go to certain landmarks in their own towns tomorrow evening.
Judging from previous gatherings of his supporters – whom Russian authorities have designated as US-backed extremists – a heavy police presence is likely and the authorities will break up anything they deem to resemble a political demonstration under protest laws.
Mr Navalny’s wife Yulia said she is unsure whether the funeral itself will pass off peacefully or if police will arrest attendees.
His allies have accused President Vladimir Putin of having him murdered because the Russian leader could not tolerate the thought of Mr Navalny being freed in a potential prisoner swap.
They have not published proof to back up the accusation, but have promised to set out how he was murdered and by whom.
The Kremlin has denied state involvement in his death and said it was unaware of any agreement to free Mr Navalny.
His death certificate – according to allies – said he died of natural causes.
European Parliament condemns killing
The European Parliament has passed a resolution condemning the killing of Alexei Navalny, describing it as a murder.
MEPs also called for an independent investigation into his death, stating that President Putin is responsible.
Two Irish MEPs, Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, abstained on the resolution.
Yesterday in the parliament, Ms Daly condemned the imprisonment and death of Mr Navalny, but she also criticised him.
“Was he Russia’s democratic messiah? I don’t believe so. A courageous activist, yes, but what kind? A free marketeer, a fan of the 90s reforms that led to Putin”, she said.
She also accused Mr Navalny of racism.
Ms Daly said she would have liked to have supported the resolution, but she chose to abstain because it contained language around providing arms to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.
Altogether 506 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, with nine against it and 32 abstentions.
Separately, a resolution calling on the European Union to give Ukraine whatever it needs to defeat Russia was passed.
The text also states that there should be no restriction on the level of military support the EU gives to Ukraine.
Three Irish MEPs – Clare Daly, Mick Wallace and Luke Ming Flanagan – voted against the motion.
In a post on social media, Mr Flanagan said he did not back the resolution as it contained language around supplying weapons to Ukraine.
“In line with Ireland’s position of military neutrality I did not support it,” he said.
Additional reporting Tommy Meskill
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