Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked
articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For
anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering
seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/.
Credible electoral opponents to Putin - in fact, most electoral opponents to Putin - are often violently repressed (see the links below).
That is the nature of despots and what they do - and I include Trump’s threats and admissions in that.
The latest in a series of opponents, Alexei Navalny, about whom there have been growing and major concerns for quite some time, is now dead - and Putin is being blamed.
News reports on this tragedy for Russia, freedom, and decency include:
- “Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny dies in Putin’s prison” https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2024/02/17/alexei-navalny-dies
- “Putin critic Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison. Here's what we know so far” https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/fierce-putin-critic-alexei-navalny-has-died-in-a-russian-prison/j24qa9yb4
- “Western leaders point finger at Putin after Alexei Navalny’s death in jail” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/16/russian-activist-and-putin-critic-alexei-navalny-dies-in-prison
- “Chemical burns, poisoning and prison: the persecution of Alexei Navalny” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/16/chemical-burns-poisoning-prison-alexei-navalny-persecution
- “Long opposed to exile, Alexei Navalny dies a prisoner in a dark and dangerous Russia” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/16/alexei-navalny-exile-russia-putin-prison
- “Yulia Navalnaya takes stage at Munich meeting after news of husband’s death” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/16/yulia-navalnaya-munich-security-conference-navalny-putin
- “Alexei Navalny obituary” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/16/alexei-navalny-obituary
- “The Guardian view on Alexei Navalny’s death: another bleak day in Putin’s Russia” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/16/the-guardian-view-on-alexei-navalnys-death-another-bleak-day-in-putins-russia
- “Alexei Navalny was brave enough to mock Putin’s absurd tyranny. Is it any wonder he is dead?” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/16/alexei-navalny-vladimir-putin-dead-kremlin-russia “For many years, this courageous man taunted the corrupt butcher of the Kremlin. But Putin’s enemies so often end up being silenced”
- “Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny dead at 47, region's prison service says” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-16/alexei-navalny-reported-dead-russian-prison/103479214
- “Alexei Navalny was 'the president Russia never got'. His death means a void in the fight against Putin” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-17/alexei-navalny-impacted-vladimir-putin-even-from-prison/103479404
- “Alexey Navalny: An archenemy Putin wouldn’t name and Kremlin couldn’t scare” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/16/obit-navalny-putins-archenemy-and-anti-corruption-champion
- “Alexey Navalny timeline: From poisoning to prison to death” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/16/hold-alexei-navalny-timeline-from-poisoning-to-prison
- “Putin foe Alexei Navalny dies in jail, West holds Russia responsible” https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/jailed-russian-opposition-leader-navalny-dead-prison-service-2024-02-16/
- “Biden says 'Putin and his thugs' caused Navalny's death” https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-speak-noon-navalnys-death-white-house-says-2024-02-16/
- “Russian emigres gather across Europe to mourn Navalny, denounce Putin” https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hundreds-gather-across-europe-mourn-navalny-denounce-putin-2024-02-16/
- “Russia: UN human rights office ‘appalled’ at death of Navalny in prison” https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/02/1146627
- “After Navalny death, independent expert on rights in Russia asks ‘who is next?’” https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/02/1146647 and “Who are the other opposition activists jailed in Russia?” https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/who-are-other-opposition-activists-jailed-russia-2024-02-16/ It is important to remember that there are other brave people in Russia, and some of them are at risk (note my activism links below - this would be a good time for emails to your elected representatives reminding them that this would be a good time to remember those others)
- “Navalny's death deprives Russia's opposition of a leader and hope” https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/navalnys-death-deprives-russias-opposition-leader-hope-2024-02-16/
- “Russian rouble slips after Navalny reported dead” https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/russian-rouble-slips-after-navalny-reported-dead-2024-02-16/
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: “Aleksey Navalny” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aleksey-Navalny
- Wikipedia: “Alexei Navalny” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alexei_Navalny&oldid=1208274995
As an example, recent past reports on Alexei Navalny have included:
- “Kremlin foe Alexey Navalny located in Arctic jail weeks after contact lost | Prison News | Al Jazeera” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/25/kremlin-foe-alexei-navalny-located-in-arctic-jail-weeks-after-contact-lost At least he is alive, although in the worst of conditions But see also “Russian candidate barred from standing against Putin | DW News” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C64crFpV3jw
- “Kremlin critic Navalny taken from Moscow prison to unknown location: spokesperson” https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20231215-kremlin-critic-navalny-taken-from-moscow-prison-to-unknown-location This is a MAJOR concern ... and, in a very significant move, “Russian courts halt cases against Alexei Navalny after jailed activist disappears | Alexei Navalny | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/18/courts-halt-cases-against-alexei-navalny-after-disappearance-of-jailed-activist
On Putin, you may also wish to consider the following:
- From a past news post of mine: Putin’s revenge against the leader of an insurrection a couple months ago may have weakened his hold on the despot-oligarch conglomerate holding the reins of power in Russia.
- “Current events in Russia” https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2023/06/current-events-in-russia.html
- From a past news post of mine: China's ties have left her caught between Ukraine and Russia (the Embassy of China has urged its citizens to make preparations and take care, but not to leave [Ukraine has told its citizens to flee Russia] ) - which nevertheless may see China as a key advantage, has recognised - and sent its military into - a separatist region in eastern Ukraine (will that satisfy Putin? It is in his interest, but led lead to sanctions - initially only against the separatist areas, but later Germany shut down the gas pipeline from Russia, and Europe, the UK and the USA (even Australia, which noted the resultant cyber risks) sanctioned Russian banks and individuals - and Kenya has drawn comparisons between Russia's behaviour and that of colonialist powers in Africa) as rumours emerge of doubts within the Russian military over invasion; the USA is alleging that Russia will commit human rights abuses if it invades; a cautionary note over the benefits to the Baltic states of NATO's expansion - although that agreement tied BOTH the West AND Russia to respecting Ukraine's borders and sovereignty. Also, Russian sock puppet #45has shown his true, red colours;
- “Twenty years of ruthlessness: how Russia has silenced Putin’s opponents” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/27/history-killing-how-russia-has-silenced-putins-opponents
- “Nerve agents, poison and window falls. Kremlin foes have been attacked or killed over the years” https://apnews.com/article/russia-kremlin-enemy-navalny-prigozhin-litvinenko-skripal-958c2ed6b8d60ecc4f64092fc1f9ceb5
- “Why does Russia keep poisoning people? The wild history of Moscow's chemical assassination plots” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-16/russia-history-of-poisoning-its-enemies/100984912
- “Russian Assassinations a Growing Worry as War Nears Second Year: Sources” https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7vwa9/russia-assassinations-putin-ukraine-war
- “Assassinations, sabotage and a leader who wants revenge: How the riddles in Russia's war benefit Vladimir Putin” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-16/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-shadow-war/101521518
- “Boris Nemtsov: Murdered Putin rival 'tailed' by agent linked to FSB hit squad” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60878663
- “Russia Fatally Poisoned A Prominent Defector In London, A Court Concludes” https://www.npr.org/2021/09/21/1039224996/russia-alexander-litvinenko-european-court-human-rights-putin
- Wikipedia - “List of Russian assassinations” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Russian_assassinations&oldid=1207841968
- “Sergei Magnitsky” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sergei_Magnitsky&oldid=1208231508 and “Magnitsky legislation” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Magnitsky_legislation&oldid=1177244749
Also, from my blog:
- “Surveillance and bigotry” https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2022/03/surveillance-and-bigotry.html
- “Learning the lessons of history” https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2022/03/learning-lessons-of-history.html
- “I’m tired . . . major rant coming” https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2022/02/im-tired-major-rant-coming.html
- “Ukraine vs. Russia” https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2022/02/ukraine-vs-russia.html
My links for activism post may aid any activism you may decide to do on any/all of these. If you do, don’t get too fixated on specific instances of problems - important though they may well be: take a moment to also consider the broader issues these incidents and groups of incidents may suggest/reveal.
Assumptions / basis
In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following:
- this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;
Possible flaws
Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:
- there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan
Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”;
- I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post.
If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.
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