Russian courts in St Petersburg have sentenced 154 individuals to short jail terms for participating in events commemorating Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The court rulings were published by the city's court service over the weekend, showing that the individuals were given jail time of up to 14 days for violating Russia's strict anti-protest laws.
Similar sentences were reported in other cities across the country, as rights groups and independent media outlets highlighted the crackdown on those showing opposition to the Kremlin. Navalny, a 47-year-old critic of President Vladimir Putin, died on Friday at the Arctic prison colony where he was being held on charges that were viewed as retribution for his activism.
Following Navalny's death, hundreds of Russians were arrested by police in various cities as they gathered to pay their respects at memorials. Anti-Kremlin demonstrations are effectively illegal in Russia, and authorities took swift action to prevent any public displays of opposition.
Despite the outpouring of grief and anger from Navalny's supporters, Putin has remained silent on the matter. The Kremlin has not made any official statements since Friday when Western leaders held Putin responsible for Navalny's death.
Navalny's chief of staff, Leonid Volkov, expressed that Navalny simply wanted Russia to be a normal country, and he believes that Putin was responsible for his death. The situation has sparked outrage both domestically and internationally, with many calling for justice and transparency from the Russian government.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Russian authorities will respond to the growing pressure and demands for accountability in the wake of Navalny's tragic passing.